Care to Make a Bet
by InuKaglover815
Summary: Kagome is working in a strip dancer to pay off her debt to Hojo and Sesshoumaru gives her an offer she can't refuse...
1. Unwelcome Positions

Care to Make a Bet?

A.N. Ok, so I have this erotica book that turns all the fairytales into eroticas. And when I read the one entitled "Cat and Mouse", the characters reminded me so much of Sesshoumaru and Kagome that I decided to turn it into a fanfiction. So, that is what this story is based on. I haven't decided yet if it's going to be a one shot (and if it is it will be a rather LONG one…it's already 32 handwritten pages and to put that in perspective most of my chapters/one shots tend to be around 10 handwritten pages) or if I want to turn it into a longer work. Suggestions are welcome.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Inuyasha_ or anything affiliated with it. Nor do I own the idea for this story which came from a short story in Nancy Madore's _Enchanted_ entitled "Cat and Mouse."

Chapter 1: Unwelcome positions

"You know Kagome," Sango said as she slipped into her uniform. "If you don't change your attitude, you'll never get out of here. Remember, you have a debt to pay."

"I know, I know." Kagome sighed as she too slipped into her "uniform" and prepared for another night of shame. "It's just not fair! I still can't believe my parents allowed this to happen."

"I know, but there's nothing you can do about it, unless you find someone to pay off your debt to Hojo."

"I know, but who's gonna pay 500 thousand dollars for a strip club dancer?"

"You might be surprised," Sango said, turning to the mirror to apply her make-up. "But, unless you start acting like you enjoy doing this and actually put some effort into your dancing, no one is going to give you a second glace. At this rate, you're never going to get out of here."

"I know," she said softly, sighing as she smoothed the red see through teddy that would serve as her uniform for the night. The built in satin bra and a solid band of red ribbon that lined the bottom would be the only thing separating her from prying eyes. "I just can't stand all those blubbering idiots that haunt this place. They are like STDs waiting to happen."

"HA! Well, you may be right about that, but remember you don't _have_ to sleep with them."

"Can't argue with that logic. Well, time to face the firing squad. I'll see you later tonight."

"You bet! And who knows, maybe we'll get lucky and no one will show up."

"Ah, that would be the day." Kagome flashed one last smile to her friend before she turned and left the dressing room. As she made her way past the rows of rooms that lined this section of the club to the front where she worked, she knew that her situation could definitely be worse.

Hojo's "club" had several aspects to it. The public only saw the strip club, but it was what went on behind closed doors that really disgusted her. The strip club was merely acted as a front for his brothel, and she'd heard he even dealt in human trafficking. But surprisingly, Hojo had exempt Kagome from the club's inner workings out of some strange fascination he had with her. He had informed her upon her arrival that, unlike the other women who worked at the club, she would be able to choose her own "lovers" and that should she so choose, she could pay off her debt by dancing alone if she wanted. Kagome had later learned that Hojo had given Sango this same treatment. But as far as she could tell, they were the only ones given this luxury.

Kagome knew that Sango thought Hojo did this to keep them there, under his control, longer. For what self respecting woman, especially ones such as themselves who had been forced into this line of work, would willingly whore herself out to the whack-jobs that frequented the club. The bad thing was, his plan seemed to be working. Kagome had yet to make a dent in her debt. The money she was getting for dancing simply wasn't cutting it. She longed for freedom, but she didn't want to become someone's whore to do it.

"Kagome," a fellow dancer said, effectively pulling the young miko from her thoughts. "You're in private room number four tonight."

Kagome groaned, turning slowly to walk to her pending doom. Private rooms were the worst since there were no lurking bouncers to ensure the man (or men) would behave. It also made it exceedingly difficult to distance herself from her work.

"And Kagome, be nice. He asked for you specifically."

Kagome turned back to look at her, shock evident in her eyes. Due to her unwillingness to comply with any and every request given to her, most regulars to the club ignored her, more interested in a quick lay than wasting time trying to get her to cooperate. This was one of the main reasons Kagome's debt remained virtually untouched. The only people who paid to see her were newcomers, or those who were too stupid to see the club's true purpose. "Who would do that?"

"Don't ask me, but Hojo seems to think he could be a big client, so play nice."

"Yeah, whatever," Kagome scoffed, turning to head to the room that would be her prison for the night. The room was lavishly decorated; plush carpet on the ground, a high bed covered in silken sheets against the far wall, and on one side, several chairs surrounding a gleaming set of poles. Kagome shivered at the thought of the toys that lay in a dresser in the corner and the sight of the removeable shackles that lay on top of it. The door opened, announcing the arrival of her doom.

_Well, guess I better get this over with._ She sighed, plastering a smile on her face just as he appeared. As he shut the door, his aura trickled over her and Kagome shuddered. _Youkai. _He hid it well. Only one with spiritual training would be able to detect it, but there was no mistaking his energy. She glanced over his form, noting that he was doing the same to her. His silvery blue hair stood out starkly against the dark red of the room. His suit appeared custom made, but it was the markings on his face—especially the crescent moon on his forehead—that drew her attention. _Dog_. She shuddered as she thought back to what her grandmother had told her regarding the temperament of members of the inu heritage, especially those of the House of the Moon: powerful and possessive, avoid at all costs. Her reiki swelled before she could stop it and she gasped when he smirked, his youki swelling in response.

"Mmmm…" he said as he slowly circled her, his smooth voice sending chills down her spine. "You smell divine. I cannot wait to taste you."

She turned with him, determined not to let him get behind her. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but you'll never get that chance."

"Is that right?"

"Yes, you can look all you want, but no touching. Or didn't they tell you the rules?"

"Very well," he began walking towards her, causing Kagome to stiffen in apprehension. He allowed his youki to surround her. It was almost suffocating in its intensity once he finally stopped a hair's breadth from her. Her eyes widened slightly as she realized that there would be no stopping him should he decide not to play by the rules. He smiled and slowly lifted the teddy from her, being careful not to touch her skin, before stepping back to admire her. He chuckled when she attempted to grab the teddy from his grasp. "You did say I could look all I liked."

"In case you were uniformed, I am a _dancer_. My clients aren't allowed to touch me unless I allow it." She narrowed her eyes at him, crossing her arms in front of her.

"You also happen to owe the pathetic owner of this dump 500 grand." Her eyes widened and he inwardly smirked at having gotten her full attention. "I can help you," he said, resuming his circle.

"In your dreams,"

"Oh, but you have been in my dreams. I have been watching you for quite some time Kagome. I have decided I want you. And I always get what I want."

"You're disgusting," she sneered, slowly backing towards the door.

"I could take you away from here. You would never have to debase yourself in front of strangers."

"No, just you,"

"If that is what you want."

"I would never whore myself to the likes of you. I don't even like you!"

"Care to make a bet on that?"

"Wh-what?"

"I said, would you care to make a bet on that."

"I'll stick to dancing, thanks."

"If you win, I will pay your debt off for free." He smirked as she hesitated. _Now I've got you_. "But, of course, there has to be something good in it for me, should I win."

"You do realize I haven't agreed to this."

But he continued as if he hadn't heard her. "It must be something of the same value; otherwise it would be unfair to me. Hmmm, let's see. Ah, I have just the thing. If you win, I shall pay your debt to Hojo. But if I win, you are mine for one weekend."

"Get real!" She scoffed, trying to hide her blush at his implied comment.

"Come on, what have you got to lose? If you hate me as much as you say, this should be an easy win for you."

"I was only thinking of you." Kagome said, smirking as she caught onto his game. "I would hate for you to have to part with your precious money, along with being denied what you want."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, that is right."

"How nice of you to be concerned for me, but I assure you there was no need. We both know, in the end, I would have gotten what I desired."

"What, you expect me to throw myself at you like a whore?"

"No, but that is also acceptable."

"Well I guess you're just going to have to make do with your harem because you will never have me. You could never even make me desire you."

"Again I say, can you prove it?"

"Of course I can!"

"Well then," he said, moving so that he was standing mere inches from her. "I guess all that is left is to decide how we will test it."

Kagome gasped as she realized the extent of what she'd agreed to. "Oh no," she murmured, raising her hand to her mouth in shock.

Unfortunately for her, this merely drew his attention to her lips. "I think a kiss should be a sufficient measure of your desire."

Kagome couldn't contain her sigh of relief. All she had to do was withstand one kiss and then she would be home free. She almost smiled at how easy this would be. She would revel in making him think she enjoyed his attempt to seduce her before throwing his loss in his face and turning him away….after he gave her the money of course. It was almost too easy.

He smirked at her confident gaze. So she thought she had won? Well, that would definitely work to his favor. He wanted, no needed, to catch her off guard. But he had to be careful. This was one woman he was not willing to give up. He had put too much effort into his plan. He tilted her head slightly and she could feel his warm breath caressing her skin as he leaned towards her. She closed her eyes, eager to get this over with, but apparently he had other ideas.

"Where do you want it?" He said softly, his lips ghosting across her as he spoke.

She pulled back and he smiled at the confusion that now filled her expression. "What?"

"The kiss, where do you want it?"

Kagome was speechless. The insinuation behind his statement was not lost on her, and she briefly allowed her mind to wander with the possibilities. But after a moment, she righted herself, remembering why she had to do this in the first place. She looked up at him, her eyes blazing with disgust and calmly said, "I suppose my foot would be the least revolting place."

"Very well," he replied, smirking as he knelt before her. He lifted her leg from the knee, his claws tickling her skin as he trailed a hand down to her foot. Kagome shut her eyes, unable to watch him. She felt his hair slide across her skin and she inwardly indulged in the silkiness of it. And then she felt his soft lips upon her as he graced her with a lingering kiss.

As soon as he pulled back, Kagome yanked her foot from his grasp, ready to be free of his presence. But the force she used backfired, and she felt herself falling towards the back of a nearby chair. She panicked and braced herself for the pain, surprised when it never came. The sight that met her when she opened her eyes however, was not much better. She was now cradled in his lap; she hadn't even felt him more. Feeling disgusted by his hands cradling her naked form, she moved to get up, gasping when he merely tightened his hold.

"Not so fast," he chuckled, repositioning her so he could look at her face. "We have not yet checked the effect of the kiss."

"That will not be necessary; I assure you, all I felt was disgust."

"I am not too sure."

"Can't you smell the disgust radiating from me?" She challenged, knowing that with all the scents in the club, he would be having difficulties singling hers out, which was a decidedly good thing since she'd been unable to stop her body's natural reaction to his presence…and kiss. _Stupid hormones._

"Scent is not the only way to detect the results." His hand began slowly descending her body and she gasped as she realized what his intentions were.

"NO!" She began frantically struggling against him, trying desperately to get away from him.

"You can admit your desire verbally if you like."

"There is nothing to admit!"

"Well then, you have nothing to worry about." His hand slipped in between her legs and he groaned as his finger slid easily into her wetness. He brought his finger up to his mouth, slowly licking it clean. "I win,"

A.N. Ok, so there is chapter one. I have the next two chapters already handwritten so the next installments should come pretty soon. I still haven't decided if this should be a three shot…or something longer. So, please be sure to tell me what you think.


	2. Round Two DING!

Care to Make a Bet

A.N. I just want to say…THANK YOU! This is the most reviews I have gotten on a story in such a short period of time. So THANK YOU! I will announce at the end of the third installment whether this will be continued further or not.

FayeMegan: I have not really decided how she got it…that may be something to consider. Although I do know that she is paying off a debt her parents accumulated, which I think I stated in the last chapter. But I am still pondering the details of her debt. And yes, the book is rather awesome!

Dani: I'm with you!

Ameire: I actually hadn't given any thought to her age….and I don't really want to pin it down, but she's in her early 20s. And look up for the debt question. And I don't mind answering questions. XD

Sara: _Enchanted_ by Nancy Madore

iheartanime43: I do too…no man is THAT nice….they all have ulterior motives.

Chapter 2: Round Two DING!

He smirked, wasting no time in claiming her lips with his. She tore her lips from his and began her struggles anew, but he would expect no less from a being of her caliber. He smiled gently when she began beating on his chest, understanding her frustration. After all, he knew how annoying it was to lose. His lips once again found hers and he continued to kiss her gently until her struggles slowly ceased.

Determined to keep her dignity, Kagome tried to distance herself from this man who seemed to know how to activate every nerve in her body. But all too soon, she found herself giving in to the attention he was lavishing her with. She turned in his arms so she was straddling him and deepened the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. He only reveled in her surrender for a moment. He wanted more than a weekend of her company. It was time to put phase two of his plan into action. He pulled back gently from her, disentangling her arms from his neck.

"I tire of this room," he said icily, standing and pulling her to her feet. "You will follow me."

He ignored her confused and slightly hurt look and headed out. She bent to reach for her teddy and for a moment he debated on stopping her, but he didn't. It would not do if someone else were to see her delicious body. When she was sufficiently covered, he motioned for her to follow him out. He paused a few feet down the hall, pretending to ponder something for a moment before turning to face her. "You will service me here."

"Excuse me?"

"I said, you will service me here. I do not feel like waiting. On your knees, please."

"In your dreams!"

"Are you refusing to keep your promise?" He smirked, knowing her pride would prevent her from saying no. As he suspected, her eyes lowered in shame.

"I'll keep my promise, but not here."

"You agreed to be mine. That means for the rest of the weekend, I get to take you wherever I want, however I want."

"Please, I'll do anything you want, just not here."

_Here is my chance, _he thought as he debated on the best way to approach the situation. Finally, he sighed. "Unless you wish to have a rematch, then you have no choice in the matter."

"A rematch?"

He had to restrain a smirk at the way her head shot up at that. So he'd gotten her attention. "No, I do not think so. I have already gotten what I want. Why should I risk losing what I already have?"

"But we could go double or nothing!"

"No, I do not think so. Why should I wager two weekends against the one I already have? Now, if you please."

"Wait," Kagome said softly, eyes downcast as she was forced to make her situation even worse. "What would it take for you to reconsider?"

He rubbed his chin, pretending to weigh his options. He already knew he was going to accept her challenge, as well as what the stakes would be. "I might consider it if…"

"Yes,"

"If I win, you will be mine. Forever."

"Wait, let me get this straight. You want me to bid a weekend of servitude, against a lifetime?"

"Not a servant, a mate."

"Like there's a difference," she scoffed, crossing her arms and backing away from him. "In fact, I'd be in a worse position than I am now."

"I can assure you, as my mate, you would be taken care of."

"Why should I trust you? I'm a human. I know what happens to girls who give themselves to demons. I refuse to be someone's toy!"

"A mate is to be cherished, not controlled. But I appreciate that you accept that you would be the loser."

"As if! You are so full of it! You only won because you cheated!"

"Did I?"

"You can't prove that was for you." She sighed at his frown, amazed that he hadn't caught her drift. "I work in a strip club. How do you know that wasn't from my previous client?"

"I do not think so. In fact, I would guess that I am the only person who has seen you this way."

"That is beside the point! If you really induced pleasure in me, you should have been able to make me voice my desire for you."

"Are these your new terms?" He smirked, silently rejoicing in her lack of denial to his previous statement. She looked at him in confusion, so he explained. "If I can make you voice your desire, you will be mine and if not, you will be mine for just the weekend."

"Those terms are not fair and you know it!"

"That may be, but I am the reigning winner. The terms are mine to set."

She crossed her arms and glared at him. She had no intention of granting him more than he'd already won. "Let's get this weekend over with."

"On your knees then," he said sternly, pushing down gently on her shoulders.

Kagome closed her eyes, mentally preparing herself. She knelt in front of him, trying to keep from crying. At his command, she reached to undo his belt, forcibly calming herself as she did. He groaned as her small hand wrapped around him. Her movements slow and unsure, which caused him to smile. He would enjoy teaching her how to please him. A noise down the hall caused her to stop.

"There's someone coming," she said, trying to pull away from him.

"I am well aware of this. Please continue." He pulled her back into position, urging her head forward.

The noise grew louder and Kagome gasped as she realized it was Hojo who was approaching them. "But he'll see me!"

"That is not important." Her face slowly drained of color, but he couldn't stop now. He was so close. Soon she would relent and they could end all this nonsense. He was surprised she had lasted this long, but this was the end. Her pride would not allow her to let anyone see her in this position. Not that he had any intention of letting that disgusting idiot see her this way.

"Now, if you please." He struggled to keep his face blank. Tears were flowing freely from her distraught eyes. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and whisk her away to safety, but that would have to wait for later.

"I said continue, wench!" He once again pulled her towards him and her face grew even paler, if that was possible. _Take the bet, _he silently implored her. _Cease your torment and mine as well._

Hojo was almost upon them, another minute and he would be within sight. Hearing him draw near, Kagome lost the battle within herself. Her body slumped as she dropped her gaze to the floor. "I accept the new terms."

A.N. Ok, I know that wasn't as long, and I still have more to type. But I have to get some sleep…I've been rather deprived of it lately. So I thought I would post this since the story got so much attention.


	3. Victory and Release

Care to Make a Bet?

Karen072290: Yeah well, you know him…honor and all that. Gotta be a gentlemen. And thank you, I shall. You have a good weekend too…or well week since the weekend is almost over.

iheartanime43: Yeah but, this is one guy I DEFINETLY wouldn't mind being bullied by. ^_^

Roos: OOOOO ME ME ME! I DO I DO I DO! *Frantically leaps up and down waving arms like a maniac*

Lady Fluffy86: Nor could I….

shiningstar*: Yes, they were in the hallway. I'm sorry I thought I said that but looking back I may not have. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, I will fix it asap. And as I have stated…I would DEFINETLY switch places with Kagome.

Chapter 3: Victory and Release

He sighed in relief, "Then rise. And we will adjourn to more private quarters."

Kagome shot up and followed him down to his car, relieved that Hojo hadn't seen them. He opened the door for her and she marveled at the elegant car, noting that it was probably worth more than all her possessions combined. As he drove, she stole several glances at him. Now that she wasn't faced with suffering any immediate humiliation, she couldn't help but wonder at his motives. Why was he wasting his time with her? He obviously belonged to the elite part of society if he could offer to pay her debt so casually. So why wasn't he spending his time with some rich heiress instead of watching her dance, which he said he'd done for a while. She also was forced to think about what would become of her debt. Was he going to pay her for the weekend—she refused to think about the other option—or would he dump her off and leave her to face Hojo's wrath? Her eyes widened as she realized she was going to be in serious trouble when she got back. Hojo had no doubt discovered by now that she wasn't there, and as she wasn't supposed to leave in the first place, there would be hell to pay when she got back.

Noticing her sudden paleness, he found himself wondering what she was thinking. He knew she wasn't supposed to leave, but he hadn't been able to stop himself. That place was so disgusting; it had been all he could do to stay as long as they had. He smiled to himself when he thought about the night to come, which was promising to be a good one.

"Where are we going?" She said softly, drawing his attention once more to her. She was cowering in the seat, clearly terrified by something.

"To my home in the country." Her face paled even more if that was possible and she began to sob quietly. "Is there a problem?"

"I wasn't supposed to leave," she murmured, wrapping her arms protectively around herself. "I need to go back."

He sighed, so that was the problem. She was afraid of what would befall her when she returned. He knew she would be beaten for leaving, and he fought the urge to tell her that she would never return there. But he refrained, not wanting to reveal too much too soon and scare her off. "That will not be possible. But I will make sure that your employer knows you were with me." Her tears began anew and he fought the urge to comfort her. When they reached his house, he opened her door and led her up to his room, silently reveling in her shock at his home.

"So, all I have to do is stay here without…"

"Admitting your feelings for me,"

"As if," she scoffed, once again crossing her arms defiantly in front of her. "How long do you plan on testing the second bet?"

"I think two hours should be sufficient." She audibly groaned and he smirked. "Is this too short for you? Remember that this is just for the new challenge, either way you will be here all weekend."

"Let's get this over with."

He chuckled. "You really know how to set the mood. Are you always this enticing?"

"If I displease you that much, why not just let me go?"

He chuckled once again at how adorable she sounded. He hadn't lied. She looked exquisite, so much so that he was having trouble controlling himself. With the light from the fire behind her, she was glowing. "I think not, now just so we agree. For the next two hours, if you voice your desire for me, you will be my mate. If you somehow manage to remain silent, you will stay the weekend."

"You will be the only one voicing anything."

"Is that another challenge?"

"I…well yes. I still have my debt to think about. And I have no desire to stay here the whole weekend."

"So, are you suggesting if I admit my desire first that we revert back to our first terms?"

"Yes, that'll do."

"Very well, I accept your terms." He turned to a tray of food and gestured for her to sit. "Would you like something to eat?"

"No thank you,"

"Very well," he slowly approached her, making sure he kept his eyes locked with hers. Grasping her chin lightly, he lifted her head, watching her carefully as he lowered his head to capture her lips. Determined to win, Kagome met his lips with fervor. She saw no harm in enjoying this man. After all, as long as she didn't speak for the next two hours she would be home free. She had no doubt she could make him lose, it was just a matter of time.

His tongue traced over her lower lip, banishing all thought from her mind. She couldn't help but gasp as he deepened the kiss. But immediately she pulled away, horror filling her eyes. "That doesn't count," she said, looking into his eyes pleadingly. "You only lose when you say you want the other one."

"Very well," he chuckled, willing to give her this as it would help him as well. He drew her into his arms, once again catching her lips. He slowly raised his hands to the edge of her teddy, taking his time as he trailed his hands to her shoulders. He slid the straps down her arms, the fabric falling to pool at her feet. He stepped back briefly to admire her, mumbling a soft "Beautiful" before returning his attention to her lips.

Kagome, for her part, was having trouble remembering why she had to keep quiet. Her desire was now coming across full force and she reached for his shirt, deciding that he had entirely too much clothing on. As soon as his shirt had joined her teddy on the floor, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body against his toned chest.

He lowered his hands to her thighs, smirking when she immediately wrapped her legs around him. He carried her over to the bed and laid her down gently, looking to her eyes for any signs of hesitation. As much as he wanted her, he refused to take her by force. She looked nervous and he smiled in an attempt to relax her. Leaning down, he once again captured her lips, his hands ghosting over her body. One trailed up into her hair, while the other paid homage to her breasts. He began trailing kisses down her neck, lingering a moment where her neck joined her collarbone. He smirked as she groaned, sure of his victory. She was literally putty in his hands.

When his mouth grazed her nipple, Kagome gasped, her hands coming up to hold him to her. When he switched nipples, she had to repress the urge to moan. When his hands trailed lower however and his claws grazed her clit, she tensed.

He noticed this and pulled back to look at her. "I will not hurt you." She nodded and he nuzzled her neck before returning his attention to her lips. After a moment, she relaxed and he once again trailed a hand down. His finger slid over her clit, tracing small circles around it. Kagome groaned and reached for his pants, growling when he stopped her.

"Patience, little one," he chuckled, kissing her forehead. He stood and removed his pants before crawling back onto the bed. She once again reached for him, surprised when instead he twisted his body around so that they were facing opposite directions. He blew lightly on her nether lips, reveling in her gasp. He began laving her core with attention and she, not to be outdone, tentatively took him in her mouth. He groaned at the contact, pausing his ministrations for a moment. He quickly resumed his conquest of her snatch, loving how she seemed to be willing to give as good as she got. She would make a fine mate, ensuring life was interesting.

Giving her slit a final lick, he twisted back around and kissed her, allowing her to taste herself. His member bumped against her and she once again tensed. "You must relax," he said softly, brushing his hand through her hair.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, avoiding his eyes. "I've never done this before."

He smiled, for he already knew this. He was very pleased he was her first…and her only. He leaned up and kissed her forehead, cupping her face tenderly with his hand. "I will be gentle." He captured her lips in a passionate kiss to distract her as he plunged in all the way, knowing that would be less painful in the long run. She began to weep and he wrapped his arms around her, whispering soft words of comfort.

After a few minutes, she moved experimentally against him, causing him to groan and bury his head in her neck. When she did it again, he thrust forward slightly, and she gasped at this new feeling. His entrance had been so painful, she'd been doubtful that she would get any pleasure from this at all. But as he began slowly thrusting, pulling almost all the way out before sliding home once again, she couldn't help but groan. It felt _so_ good.

"So tight, little one," he murmured, burying his face in her neck once again. He increased his speed, delighting in her moans, reaching down to rub her clit.

She screamed and he sped up even more until he was pounding against her. He saw the vulnerability in her eyes and knew she was close. Groaning loudly, he willed his body to stop and pulled all the way out of her.

"NO!" she cried out, reaching for him. He pulled back out of her reach and she extended her own hands down her body, unable to control herself as she sought to relieve the pressure building inside her. She couldn't contain her sob of frustration when he grabbed both her hands and held them above her head. "Please," she said so softly he thought he might have imagined it.

"Please what," he replied, his lips so close they brushed against hers. He was as close as she was. His beast was screaming for him to end their suffering and her own, but he shoved it aside.

"Tell me you want it," he said, pushing just the head in to tease her with short thrusts. She shook her head furiously, tears forming in her eyes. "Come on, honey." As much as he admired her strength, both of them were too far gone. He returned his hand to her clit, stroking gently. "Tell me you want me," he said. When her eyes began glazing over, he once again pulled away completely.

"No!" She screamed, but she was referring to him stopping. "Please, don't stop!"

"Tell me you want me." He wanted nothing more than to slam into her and stay there forever, but he had to be sure.

"I…"

"That's it,"

"I…"

"Come on sweetheart, you can do it."

"I…want you." The tears fell freely from her eyes as she turned her face away, unable to look at him.

He slammed into her, both of them groaning at the contact. He kissed her briefly to comfort her, understanding what she'd lost, before beginning his thrusts anew. His pace was fast and hard, both of them too far gone to prolong the pleasure anymore. She screamed and threw her arms around him…and then they were there, falling over the edge together. As he finally spilled into her, he sunk his fangs into her sweet flesh, relishing the moment. Kagome gasped, she hadn't expected him to really mark her. After a moment, he slid out and fell beside her, pulling her shaking form to his chest.

"Shhhhh," he said as he gently cradled her body. She soon passed out from exhaustion and he smiled. "My little Kagome," he cooed, pressing one last kiss to her forehead before falling into dreamland himself.

A.N. Ok, I know these first three chapters came really fast. But do not expect the rest of them that fast. I have now typed all I had written so now I have to actually start work on _writing_ the next chapters and it takes longer to write than it does to type….but I will try to get the chapters out as quickly as I can. I do however intend on writing the epilogue for Beauty Meets Beast this week and so that will take precedence over this. Until next time.


	4. Aftermath

Care to Make a Bet

A.N. I'm horrible I know. But you have no idea how long it takes to write this! I am tired of explaining why it takes so long for me to upload things…just know that whenever I go to write something inevitably comes up that I must deal with. And it happens pretty much every time. Maybe someone is sending me a message…..Anyways, here's chapter four. Oh, and I have a question. I have been seriously struggling to write the epilogue for Beauty Meets Beast. I cannot decide if it really needs the epilogue or not. Any thoughts on this matter would be appreciated.

**Inkster:** I am going to have to disagree with you. Kagome is not wimpy in this story. Think about her position. He is offering her freedom from Hojo. Something she cannot refuse as the longer she stays in that club the more at risk she becomes of being slammed into the human trafficking trade. And if you recall, at every chance she gets, Kagome voices her disgust with him. It is not a matter of how strong headed she is. It is a matter of how badly she wishes for freedom. And she thought she could achieve her freedom by winning the bet. I am glad you are enjoying the fic however.

**Karen072290: **Hehe…just because he is a gentleman doesn't mean he's going to play fair. That just wouldn't be as much fun. And no, she wasn't expecting to lose. She just hadn't realized how irresistible our Sesshoumaru is yet. I will try not to make you wait as long for the next chapter…however I cannot make any promises. I'm very glad the last chapter made your day. Hopefully this chapter will do the same. Hope your week is going well!

**Unistar:** Did you review on both Mediaminer and Fanfiction? Because if not I am thoroughly confused.

**Chapter Four: Aftermath**

Kagome sighed as she slowly woke up; surprised she was still in his arms. He'd pulled the comforter over them at some point and she smiled when she noticed how gently he was cradling her form against his.

"You are awake," he said softly, causing her to jump. He leaned down and gently claimed her lips, but she pulled back.

"Why am I here?"

He smiled and kissed her nose. "Later. Do you want some breakfast?" She nodded slowly and he stroked her hair. "Well, why don't you go take a shower and I will whip us up something." She once again nodded and he rose from the bed, pointing her in the direction of the bathroom before he left, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

She couldn't stop the tears that welled up as the door shut behind him. Now that it was over, the reality that Hojo would more than likely beat her within an inch of her life for leaving hit her like a ton of bricks.

_How could I have let this happen?_

She collapsed onto the floor, her body so wracked with sobs that she didn't even notice when the door opened and he drew her into his arms. He picked her up and carried her to the bed.

"What do you want from me?"

"At the moment," he said, wiping the tears from her eyes with the pad of his thumb. "For you to stop crying."

"I can't. Hojo…" she sobbed, attempting to untangle herself from him. But his grip remained firm. Gentle but firm.

"Will not touch you. I paid your debt this morning while you were asleep. You are free."

"From him maybe," she scoffed, her situation coming into shocking clarity. "But what about you? For all I know, I've just traded masters. I don't even know your name."

"Sesshoumaru,"

"What?"

"My name. It is Sesshoumaru."

"Oh,"

"Now, enough worrying," he said, removing the last vestiges of her tears. "I can assure you that I will not treat you like a slave, nor will I force you to do anything you do not truly wish for. So, my next question is. Do you prefer pancakes or waffles?"

"Uh, I've never really tried either one."

Sesshoumaru smirked. This didn't surprise him. He knew that although he'd found her in a brothel in Atlanta, she was decidedly from Japan. "How long have you been in the States?"

She jumped, not expecting that question. "Why should I tell you?"

"I am merely curious."

"It's not of your business!" She shouted, once again attempting to remove herself from his embrace. He released her and she leapt off the bed, putting as much distance between them as she could. "Why are you so interested in a strip dancer?"

He stood and began walking towards her. "Because I could tell you were different. Unlike the others in that dump, you wished to be something more." He stopped a mere foot from her now shaking form and grasped her chin in his fingers, forcing her to look him in the eye. "You refused to let others corrupt you, even though you knew it would mean you would remain trapped forever."

Her eyes widened. He actually paid attention to her as a person. Most people she'd encountered since being forced into this lifestyle only saw what she could do for them, more specifically to them. No one ever actually gave any thought to why she was there. _Maybe he's different._ Looking at him, she found herself believing that maybe he did actual care about her.

"Seven months," she mumbled, refusing to meet his gaze any longer. "My mother sold me to Hojo to pay her debts."

"You can tell me all about it over breakfast," he replied softly, attempting to raise her eyes to his, but when she refused he merely sighed and kissed her forehead. "Now I am going to go start our food. The bathroom is over there and my closet is to your left." He placed one final kiss to her forehead before he stood and made his way out, shutting the door softly behind him.

Kagome slowly walked over to the bathroom, noting the artifacts that lined his walls. She had no doubt he'd gotten them before they were considered artifacts. His name had shocked her. Every miko knew of the great Sesshoumaru. He was the reigning Taiyoukai of the West. And the most powerful youkai alive. She still didn't understand what he wanted with her. As Taiyoukai, he had his pick of any woman, yet he was spending his time with her.

As she got out of the shower, she was hit with an even bigger thought. Hojo. Sesshoumaru had said he'd paid him, but would that be enough? She wasn't too sure. Opening his closet she gasped, it was almost larger than the bathroom. _Who needs this many clothes?_

000000000000000000000

"Ah," he said she entered the kitchen. "There you are. How do you like your eggs?"

"Huh? Oh, scrambled," she mumbled, sitting down at the surprisingly small table. She'd noticed the night before on her way through the house, that while it screamed wealth, it was rather small.

He set a plate in front of her and she mumbled a small "thank you," noticing that he'd given her both a fork and chopsticks.

"You should try the waffle," he said, cutting into his own segmented pastry. "They are especially good with syrup and butter."

"Thank you." She did as he said, smearing some butter and syrup on the gridded cake before cutting it with her fork and using her chopsticks to tentatively take a bite. "Oh, it's good!"

"I told you. Now, why don't you tell me the full story behind why you ended up in that dump of Hojo's?"

"I…it's a long story."

"I have got time."

He smiled at her and she nodded, clearing her throat while she gathered her courage. Once she told him, would it change him? Would he throw her out on the streets to face Hojo?

"My family is from a small town in Western Japan, as is Hojo. We grew up together. He wasn't always the creep he is now. We used to be friends. But then he spent a summer in Tokyo with his father. When he came back, he was a totally different person. He would constantly try to get me to sleep with him, and when I didn't, he would sleep with my friends instead. He got two of my closest friends hooked on meth and then, as soon as they were addicted, he took away their supply so that they would go crazy with withdrawal. Then a few years ago, his father was murdered and Hojo moved to the States, using his inheritance to open this "club.""

"But why are _you_ here?"

"Two years ago, my brother had a massive seizure. He's fine now, but the hospital and doctor fees wiped our family out. We were in serious debt and Hojo promised to pay it if my mother would give me to him." She lowered her eyes in shame as she said those last words. It was the proof that her mother didn't love her.

"Did your mother know what he planned to do to you?"

"I honestly don't know. All I remember is her asking me to go get something from the store and then being shoved into a van and someone covering my nose and mouth with a piece of cloth. When I came to, I was in Hojo's office."

"I see," he replied softly, trying to hide his anger towards her mother. "Do you have possessions you wish to retrieve?"

"You mean, you'll let me get my stuff?"

"I believe that is what this Sesshoumaru said."

"I have an apartment across the street from the club. It isn't much, but it was my only option other than living with Hojo, which was something I refused to do."

"Very well, after breakfast we will drive into town and retrieve your belongings."

"Thank you."


	5. The Apartment

Care to Make a Bet

Crazymickey: *sends you hypothetical waffles* And trust me, I've met mothers like that.

Chapter Five: The Apartment

True to his word, after they finished breakfast, Sesshoumaru escorted her to his car. A moving van sat behind the sleek, black automobile—which Kagome now recognized as a Lamborghini—ready to follow them to her abode. Opening her door for her, he helped Kagome into the car before crossing over and getting in himself.

"Where is your apartment?" He said softly, causing Kagome to shiver from the velvety timbre of his voice.

"Directly across the street from the club. Hojo said it would allow him to make sure I didn't do anything stupid."

"I see."

Silence fell over the car, causing Kagome's thoughts to once again ponder her fate. Hojo couldn't be happy with this. He'd been lusting after her for years, so there was no way he was going to lie back and let someone take her out of his control.

"What are you thinking about?"

She jumped, not expecting the question. "I…I was thinking about how pissed Hojo is going to be."

"He has received his money."

"It wasn't about the money," she said, turning to stare out the window. She remained silent for a while, wondering if she should tell him or not before finally sighing. "Hojo has been trying to control me for years. He wants me. He wants to own me and dominate me in every way that he can. He just used the money to trap me."

"I see."

They rode the rest of the way in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. When they reached the club, Kagome showed him up to the apartment.

"This is it," she sighed, spanning her arm across her meager one bedroom apartment. "Sorry it's so pathetic. My roommate and I haven't had a lot of extra money to spare fixing it up."

"It is fine." He said, his eyes traveling over every inch of the apartment, ensuring that no one was listening to them. Considering her circumstances, Sesshoumaru was surprised at the clutter within the apartment. Surely she didn't bring all of this from home. Catching onto the last part of her explanation, he paused. "Roommate?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I live with another Japanese girl from the club. Her name is Sango."

"Does she…"

"Yes, she also owes him a great deal of money."

"How?"

"Uh, her boyfriend. Hojo got him hooked on heroin, and then allowed him to buy the drugs on credit. "

"He gave Sango to Hojo to pay his debt."

"Yeah and I don't know how she handles it."

"What do you mean? She is in the same position you were in."

"No, her situation's far worse. At least I didn't have to worry about my mom borrowing more money from him."

He looked confused for a moment before realization struck. "He is still using her to buy his heroin."

"Yeah. She's been in Hojo's control for three years. And every time she gets close to paying it off, Cameron throws a party and buys enough heroin to kill a herd of elephants."

"How much does she owe now?"

"Uh, I dunno. Fifty thousand maybe. Why do you care?"

"Because you care for her."

Blushing, Kagome turned away from him. "She took me in," she mumbled, her eyes glazing over as she thought back to her first few weeks in America. "I thought I was going to go crazy when Hojo dumped me in this place. She helped me come to grips with my situation and taught me how to handle it."

"She has my gratitude then. She kept you safe."

Her eyes shot open and she slowly turned to once again face him. "I—I—you—" she stammered, searching his eyes for any sign as to his reasons for wanting her. But she never got to finish her sentence as the door to the apartment suddenly swung open and a dark haired woman wearing a torn sweater entered the room. "Sango?"

The woman in question looked up and Kagome gasped. Her face looked like someone had used her for a punching bag. Her right eye was black and there was a very dark bruise under her left eye. Her upper lip was split in two places and her nose looked broken. "What happened?"

"Hojo. When you disappeared last night, he beat me up. He thought I'd let you leave."

Kagome rushed to her and wrapped her arms around the broken woman. "I'm so sorry! This is all my fault!"

Returning her hug, Sango tentatively looked at Sesshoumaru, unsure if he was trustworthy. "Who is he?"

"Um, I have something to tell you," she sighed, releasing Sango and walking over to stand by Sesshoumaru. "This is Sesshoumaru. He's my mate."

~Shift~

"So," Sango said as she helped Kagome load the last of her belongings into boxes for Sesshoumaru to carry out. "What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know. He promises he won't treat me unfairly, but I just don't know that I can trust him."

"I don't blame you." She said, nodding as she too remembered all too well the stories of Sesshoumaru her father had told her when she was still living at home in Japan. "I still can't believe you aren't going to be here anymore. Who am I going to joke with?"

"Oh Sango," Kagome said, tears welling up in her eyes as she pulled her friend in for a fierce hug. "I'm so sorry about this. I swear, as soon as I get some money I am going to bail you out of this hellhole."

"Thanks, but don't bother. Cameron will just pile up more debt."

"No, you will be free. Hojo can't keep controlling you like this!"

"I assure you, I can."

Gasping, they spun around. "Hojo!"


	6. Doubt

Care to Make a Bet

A.N. Please go check my profile and read my new note regarding reviews.

**Alyssakuga: **I am sorry I left you hanging. It's just the way I think. I always try to find a good place to end a chapter and unfortunately, normally the best places end up leading to a cliffy. Plus, I count on people coming back to read the next chapter so they can find out what is going to happen. And I agree with you completely. Hojo is an ass. I can't stand him. No man is ever that nice without having some ulterior motives. He's one of those people I want to lock in a room of perpetual torture and "lose" the key. I think the chances of Sesshoumaru beating the ever loving shnot out of Hojo are highly likely. Finally, I am glad you like the story and I am honored that you think this is a good story. I really try to come up with plotlines that haven't been used over and over again.

**Chapter Six: Doubt**

"Kagome," Hojo said, shutting the door behind him to lock them in privacy. His eyes raked over Kagome's form and she couldn't help but wrinkle her lip in disgust. "So nice to see you again. I hope that scum takes as good of care of you as I did."

"He would never treat me the way you did you bastard! He has honor!"

"Ha, a youkai with honor. That's good. But don't fret, I will save you from him soon enough."

"You stay away from me!" She tried to sound tough, but as he began walking towards her, Kagome felt the unmistakable urge to run. "You don't own me anymore Hojo."

"No, I guess not. Not at the moment anyways." He paused in his approach, changing course slightly so that he was next to Sango. "I guess I'll have to make do with Sango while you take your little vacation." He traced his hand down the side of Sango's face, smiling when she flinched. "Did you have fun last night?" he cooed into the exterminator's ear. "We could do it again if you like, maybe Kagome could join us."

Kagome watched in horror as Hojo caressed Sango's skin. She knew she was doomed. Hojo would never let her leave. Her thoughts immediately turned towards Sesshoumaru, but the door was locked. Hojo had turned the key when he came in. And their door was youkai strength. Not even Sesshoumaru would be able to break through it. She shifted slightly to her left, searching for something to defend herself with, but this proved to be a horrible move as it drew Hojo's attention back to her. He gave Sango's body one final caress before once again beginning to walk towards Kagome, his eyes filled with lust.

However, he never reached his destination. No sooner than he had begun walking in her direction, there was a horrible crunch as the door to the apartment came completely off its hinges and Sesshoumaru appeared in the doorway, a deep frown marring his face. Kagome couldn't contain her joy at the sight of him. _He'll protect me. He won't let Hojo take me back. _She gasped as suddenly Sesshoumaru disappeared and reappeared in front of her, facing Hojo.

"Leave," he said coldly, and Kagome was suddenly reminded of who exactly was protecting her.

"Tsk Tsk," Hojo replied, shaking his finger at the taiyoukai. "You forget who owns this apartment. Now, to matters at hand. I don't know what my little Kagome said to get you to pay her debt, but I assure you she is not worth it. Allow me to take her off your hands, I'll reimburse your money in full of course."

"That will not be necessary."

"I was only thinking of you. Kagome is not worth a dime. She never gets any customers."

"You know why I didn't you bastard!" Kagome screamed from behind Sesshoumaru. "Just because I have morals!"

"Enough wench! I'm sure Lord Sesshoumaru does not wish to hear your prattle."

And then, Hojo was no longer standing on the ground. His hands frantically grasped at the single hand which held him in the air.

"You will not speak to my mate." Sesshoumaru growled, noting the widening of Hojo's eyes with satisfaction before he threw him out of the door. Turning to Kagome, Sesshoumaru noted her shivering form with displeasure and turned to Sango. "It is time for us to take our leave. I shall remove that heathen before we depart. Watch Kagome." He exited the room, grabbing Hojo's limp form by the ankle and dragging him away.

"Are you alright, Kagome?" Sango said as soon as the taiyoukai was out of sight. "You look terrible."

"I-I was so scared…" she murmured, collapsing into a nearby chair.

"Of what? That Sesshoumaru would take him up on his offer? Fat chance. A demon doesn't mark someone unless he's in for the long haul."

"I know, it's just he's so rich. I don't know what he could possibly see in me."

"Well," Sango said, wrapping a supportive arm around her friend's shoulders. "You have all eternity to figure it out." Kagome smiled weakly and Sango sighed. "You'll be alright. At least you'll always have something nice to look at."

Sesshoumaru returned to the sound of Kagome's laughter and he doubted there was a more beautiful sound in the world. Walking over to the two giggling women, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. "You may visit whenever you like," he said, handing the card to Sango before taking Kagome's hand and pulling her towards the door. "We must go."

Sending a final smile to her only friend, Kagome followed Sesshoumaru outside. "Thank you," she said softly. He looked at her in confusion and she smiled. "The card. You didn't have to do that. Thank you."

"The woman is your friend. I want to make you happy."

Kagome smiled, it had been a long time since anyone other than Sango had wanted her to be happy. _Maybe life with him won't be so bad._

When they got to the car, Sesshoumaru helped her into her seat before going to say a few words to the van driver. When he finally got into the car, he surprised Kagome by reaching over and taking her hand. She turned to look at him, but his attention was on the road. Turning to watch the passing scenery, Kagome quickly noticed they were getting off the expressway and heading in a direction she had never gone before.

"Where are we going?" she asked softly, unsure if she really wanted to know or not.

"It's a surprise," he said, turning and smiling at her warmly before returning his attention to the road.

Smiling weakly, Kagome turned to look out the window. She was still worried about when he would realize she was unworthy of his attention. Ever since she'd come to America, she'd been told every day how worthless she was. And Hojo had reiterated that fact today before Sesshoumaru had knocked him out. She was also confused by her mind's sudden dependence on him. When Hojo had cornered them, her thoughts had immediately turned towards her new mate and she'd known Sesshoumaru would protect her. And then there was still the looming question of, what was he expecting from her in return for all of this. The car stopped moving and she blinked, looking around in confusion.

"What are we doing here?"

A.N. Ok, I wasn't originally going to end it there, but something has come up and I won't be able to write the rest of this chapter until later this week. Therefore I figured you guys would rather have a short chapter than no chapter. By the way, I hate this title. If anyone has any suggestions please feel free to share.


	7. Everything You Could Ever Want

**Care to Make a Bet**

**A.N. **Ok, lemme clarify something. When I said I didn't like the title, I was referring to the title of chapter six. I'm sorry if you thought I meant the title of the story itself. I liked some of the suggestions that were sent to me, but I am happy with the story's title. I just didn't really like the title to chapter six.

Sorry about the wait, the chapter was actually ready a week ago, but due to some confusion between me and my beta (yes I have one now) it wasn't sent back to me until today. Please forgive this lowly fanfiction author…

**Mysweetkat:** I have not yet decided if Miroku will make an appearance. Sango's role will be more developed in further chapters. So you should get your answer soon. And Kagome's adjustment will be a slow one. It is only logical that she will be very cautious around him for a while. After all, she still doesn't understand his purpose. She thinks he merely wants to control her.

**Chapter Seven: Everything You Could Ever Want**

Sango sighed as she looked out the window. She couldn't believe that Kagome was gone. The apartment seemed so empty now and she wondered how she ever lived here alone. Looking out the window, her eyes glazed over as she thought about the coming night. Hojo would have no doubt returned to the living world by now, and he would be furious. Once again cursing the day she ever met Cameron, Sango walked into the kitchen. "Better eat while I still have the strength to." Wrinkling her nose at the contents of her fridge, she sighed and turned to the cabinet. "Ramen it is."

~Shift~

"Why are you doing this?"

Sesshoumaru stopped and turned to face the woman behind him, who had not moved from her position beside the car. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, her eyes hard and void of expression. Knowing it to be a defense mechanism, Sesshoumaru walked back to her and grasped her chin gently within his fingers. "Because you deserve to be shown kindness and because this Sesshoumaru wants you to be happy."

"So you pity me? Is that it?" She tried to pull away from him, but he'd trapped her between himself and the car.

"I could never pity you." He said softly, running his fingers through her hair. "I merely want you to see happiness as I have said before."

"Then let me go!"

"I cannot do that." He said, shaking his head.

"I want to be free! How dare you think I could ever be happy as your slave!"

Slipping past him, Kagome bolted across the parking lot. Car horns blared as she ran straight through the traffic. She heard him shouting her name, knew it was only a matter of seconds before he would catch her, but she found herself unable to care. When his lean form appeared before her moments later, forcing her to stop, she screamed and began beating his chest with her fists.

"I hate you!" she screamed, continuing to pound on his chest. She screamed and screamed, pouring all her rage out and when it had gone, she collapsed, sobbing uncontrollably as he pulled her into his embrace.

"Shhhh. It is alright." Sesshoumaru cooed, stroking her hair and glaring at the people who had stopped to watch them. Reaching down and gathering her trembling form into his arms, he walked back to his car. It was obvious that she needed to be elsewhere. Opening the door, he pushed the seat forward and set her down in the back. Then he pushed the seat back, cranking the car so that they would have air conditioning before pushing the seat forward once again and climbing into the backseat with her. She was now crying hysterically and he drew her into his arms, cradling her to him.

Kagome didn't know how long they sat this way, but even after her sobs had sided, she found herself unwilling to leave the Taiyoukai's arms. The way he held her, as if afraid he would break her, touched her heart in ways she couldn't fully understand. Nor could she understand why he'd held her in the first place. He could have just as easily put her in the seat and then driven home. Looking up, she was shocked by the intense expression that met her gaze.

"Do you feel any better?" he said softly and Kagome finally registered the fingers that were rhythmically drifting through her hair. She nodded slightly, shifting in his arms. "Do you wish to go home?"

She mentally scoffed at the double entendre of his question. However, knowing that he was referring to his home, which she supposed was now supposed to serve as hers as well, she shook her head. The least she could do for causing him so much trouble was see why he'd brought her here.

"It's ok. I feel fine now."

"Do you wish to see why I brought you here?"

"I guess."

"Very well, follow me. And no more tears."

They exited the car and he turned off the ignition before placing a hand on the small of her back and leading them to the building before them. Kagome gasped when they rounded the corner.

"It's a castle! But I thought this was a mall?"

"Sesshoumaru chuckled, pleased with her surprise. "It is. The mall has a jousting arena built within it called Medieval Times."

"What do you mean?"

"Jousting is a medieval sport."

"I know that. I just don't understand why they have an arena here."

"It is very popular. People come from miles around to eat dinner and watch men joust."

They entered the mall and Kagome was immediately drawn to the displays surrounding Medieval Times. She seemed entranced and Sesshoumaru made a mental note to get tickets. When she finally pulled herself away from the colorful displays, Sesshoumaru gestured to the stores around them.

"Where would you like to go?"

Kagome looked around, immediately seeing things she wanted. But she was skeptical. "What do you mean?"

"You had to leave your things in Japan did you not?" Her gaze fell to the floor and he knew he was correct.

"I wasn't allowed to have anything from my house. Everything I have was bought by either Sango or Hojo."

"This Sesshoumaru thought as much. That is why I have brought you here. You may buy whatever you like. May I suggest clothes and things you like to do in your spare time? Do you have any hobbies?"

"I like reading and art."

"I like those subjects myself. Do you watch much anime?" Kagome nodded and he pointed to the right. "Then might I suggest that we start our journey at Pica Pica. They have a wide variety of anime memorabilia."

"Ok,"

~Shift~

Three hours later, Kagome found herself wondering if there was anything in this mall she hadn't bought. Sesshoumaru hadn't been lying when he said he'd buy her whatever she wanted. So far, she had a sketchbook, a leather bound journal, watercolor and acrylic paints, Prismacolor colored pencils and nupastels, drawing pencils, a complete set of Copic markers, enough books and manga to fill an entire wall of the apartment (he'd also said he'd order any books or manga she wanted in Japanese), some gel pens, and an entire wardrobe. And according to him, they still weren't finished. She was sure she'd never spent this much money—even if you combined all the money she'd spent in her entire life. He'd also gotten her a laptop and over two hundred DVDs. Luckily they didn't have to carry it all. Everything was being shipped to his home tomorrow. Her stomach growled and Kagome tried to cover it up by coughing.

"Why did you do that?" He said suddenly, stopping their casual stroll and turning her to face him.

"Do what?"

"Why do you try to hide your hunger? If you are hungry, we will eat."

"You've already bought me so much," she said, once again turning her gaze to the floor. "I didn't want to be a burden."

Grasping her chin in his fingers, he gently lifted her gaze to his. "You could never be a burden." She gasped and he grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the food court. "Come, we will go eat."

After they'd gotten their food—they'd decided to eat at the Japanese restaurant in the food court—they found a table off to one side where they could have a little privacy.

"Thank you again,"

"Do not mention it." He replied, opening his chopsticks and taking a bite of his teriyaki chicken. "I only wish they prepared authentic Japanese food."

"Not just for the food. Thank you for everything. You didn't have to get those things for me."

"I want you to be comfortable and to have things that you like. I sometimes have long hours at work and I did not want for you to be bored."

"I don't think I've ever spent this long in a mall in my entire life!"

"We still have one more stop."

"Where's that?"

"Formalwear."

When they finally got back to Sesshoumaru's car, Kagome was suddenly reminded to where they were returning. And to what he would no doubt want when they got there. _What do I do if he asks for….that? Do I even have the option to say no? Do I even want to say no?_

"What are you thinking about?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice, realizing that she had been so caught up in her thoughts that she had slowed to a stop. Shaking her head and moving to stand beside him on her side of the car, she tried to appear calm. "Oh, um…nothing."

"Tell me." He backed her against the side of the car, trapping her between the now cool metal—the sun had set hours ago—and his warm body. He began nuzzling her neck, his keen ears picking up the jump in her pulse when he nibbled just below her ear. "Please."

She once again shook her head, shying away from his touch. "It doesn't matter."

Realization dawned and he pulled himself away from her neck to look into her eyes. "You are worried about what will happen tonight."

"Can you blame me?"

He sighed. He'd known this conversation would arise. He just wasn't expecting it so soon. "I will not lie to you. My inner youkai has been longing to take you all day. This Sesshoumaru cannot think of anything he would more enjoy."

"I knew it!" she hissed, her eyes hardening as she tried to get away from him. "Why else would you buy me so much? Is that supposed to be my payment for letting you rape me?"

"I would never force you."

"Bullcrap! You just want to get laid. You said yourself you want that and nothing else!"

"I will not deny that it would please me greatly to make love to you. And I know you would enjoy it. After all you seemed to enjoy our activities last night. However, I will not force you. Only you have the power to decide if and when we will join."

"How can I trust you?"

"You will see. Now, let us go home."


	8. Hide and Sleep

Care to Make a Bet

I must apologize for the EXTREME lack of updating. But last semester, my thesis pretty much owned my life. I was ALWAYS either writing or editing my story—which by the way I plan on getting published so you unfortunately will not see it here online. But anyways, here is the next installment of Care to Make a Bet. Warning, my beta has not read this yet. But her computer is messed up and she doesn't know when she'll be able to look at it. So, I thought you would rather have an unedited chapter than no chapter. Well, I'll let you get to the good stuff. But let me just say, I'm REALLY excited to be working on this story again. It was torture not being able to write on this story as well, but I simply didn't have the time. But rest assured, I will never leave you hanging that long ever again.

randomfan17: I wasn't necessarily saying she was upset by the mall in particular. She was just overwhelmed by everything. But I have to say, I would be nervous simply because it's Sesshoumaru, but yeah I wouldn't say no.

Chapter 8: Hide and Sleep

When they reached his house, Sesshoumaru led Kagome to the room beside his.

"I wasn't planning on showing this to you until tomorrow but…"

"It's a bedroom," She said, after he opened the door to reveal a spacious bedroom. She looked at him in confusion, trying to understand what he was playing at.

"Very astute observation. I thought you might like a room to put some of your things in. Of course, the bed will be removed as soon as the movers arrive, but other than that, the room is yours."

"How does this help me trust you?" She said, cocking her head to the side and crossing her arms in front of her.

Now it was his turn to be confused. "What do you mean?"

"You said when we left that you had something to help me trust you."

"No, you asked me how you could and I told you that you will see."

"See what? That you've given me my own room that I can't do what I want in?"

"This is your room. You may do whatever you like within it."

"Except sleep," she scoffed, crossing her arms and turning to walk away.

"The only bed you will have is mine," he said, following her down the hall. "A mate should want no other bed."

She turned around, fury evident in her eyes. "I'm not your mate! You forced this upon me don't forget! I didn't agree to this! You tricked me!" Turning back around, she continued towards the stairs, wanting a drink from the kitchen to calm her nerves. But she didn't take more than two steps before he grabbed arms and spun her around to face him, growling possessively.

"That mark on your neck says otherwise." He leaned into her neck and nipped lightly on his mark, smirking when she jumped. The spicy scent of her arousal soon filled the air around them and he chuckled. "It seems your body disagrees with you as well."

She tried to get away from him, wanting nothing more than to get as far away from him as possible. But he held firm and finally she did the only thing she could think of. She slapped him. "I'll never sleep with you," she hissed, bolting down the stairs to escape him.

He let her go. He'd seen the defiance in her eyes before she'd slapped him and it relieved him to see that her pride had returned. Turning towards his study, he left her alone, content that she was no longer acting like a scared puppy.

~Shift~

Sesshoumaru sighed as he got ready for bed. Kagome still hadn't come upstairs. He'd left her alone, thinking she only needed some space. After all, it was one thing to fight with her during the day, but he wanted to get at least some sleep. Looking at the clock, he sighed. It had been three hours.

He walked down the stairs slowly, searching out the minx who had turned his life upside down. He knew she was still in the house, her scent however was everywhere. _No doubt trying to prevent me from locating her. _He searched patiently, his inner youkai content with knowing that even when angry, she hadn't left him.

He turned a corridor and frowned. He'd checked every room. Where was she? A noise to his left caught his ear and he turned, following the sound to a closet. He opened the door, somewhat surprised to find her lying on the floor, fast asleep.

He chuckled at her obvious attempts to stay away from him. She'd clearly meant her words regarding their sleeping arrangements. He bent down and picked her up, being careful not to wake her as he walked up to their room.

Laying her down on the bed, he slid her shoes off before going to retrieve one of her nightshirts they'd brought over from her apartment. When he came back, she looked so peaceful he didn't want to disturb her, but she couldn't sleep in those clothes. He mentally congratulated himself when he successfully finished getting her into her pajamas without waking her before stripping down to his boxers and climbing in beside her. He pulled the blankets around them, grinning when she turned and curled up next to him. _At least her subconscious accepts me._ He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her forehead before settling down for the night.

~Shift~

Kagome awoke, much to her chagrin, in Sesshoumaru's bed. She knew that her plan to hide from him wouldn't work, but somehow she'd hoped it would anyway. Sliding from the silken sheets, she walked over to the window, looking out over his estate. She was a little shocked that she hadn't noticed how large his property was. The house sat on top of a hill, overlooking acres of pasture and woods. She wondered if he had any livestock. She hadn't seen any on the drives here, but then again, she hadn't really been paying attention. She noticed blandly that a moving van was making its way towards the house. _There's my stuff._

Turning away from the window, she walked towards the bathroom. Sesshoumaru would no doubt come and get her in a few minutes to help them unpack her stuff and she had no particular inclination to talk to him. She grabbed her mp3 player, one of the few things she'd brought from her apartment, and locked herself in the bathroom for a nice long bath.

~Shift~

Sesshoumaru watched the movers get back into their truck before heading towards his room in search of his mate. He'd gone to wake her when the movers had arrived, but she'd been in the bathroom. He'd knocked on the door and told her that they were here, but she'd ignored him. He'd listened for a moment as she turned on the water in the tub before going to oversee the unpacking himself. But now, he sought her out, wanting to get her opinion on the way they'd set up her room.

He was surprised to find she was still in the bathroom.

"Kagome," he said, knocking on the door lightly. "Your room is ready. Would you like to see it?"

He frowned when she didn't respond. "Kagome?"

He listened for movement in the room, growing worried when the only thing he heard was the soft hint of music. He should be able to hear the water shifting as she moved and the fact that he didn't worried him.

"Kagome," he said with a bit more force. "Open this door." Still no response. He was getting more worried by the second. _She wouldn't….would she? _

"Kagome, this is your last chance. Open this door or I will."


	9. It's Just One of those Days

Care to Make a Bet

So, I got quite a few reviews for the past chapter, most of which can be summed up in the words of Sesshomaru2004 "please dont let her be stupid." So, instead of responding to each, let's just say….well why don't you just read the chapter and you'll find out yourself.

Chapter 9: It's Just One of those Days

Kagome jumped, wondering where she was for a moment before she realized she was still in the tub. _I must have fallen asleep. _She stretched like a cat, wondering just how long she'd been asleep and what had woken her up. She thought she heard something as her mp3 player switched songs, but she brushed it off, she was still too groggy to care.

Lifting her hand, she made a face when she saw how wrinkled and pruny her skin was. _How long have I been in here? _She groaned, she could no longer avoid it. She was going to have to get out and face Sesshoumaru, otherwise her fingers might kill her of their own accord. She moved to get out of the tub, but before she realized what was happening, the door to the bathroom shattered. She screamed, her arms coming up automatically to shield her face as the shards of wood flew across the room.

As a pair of arms wrapped around her, Kagome panicked until she realized it was Sesshoumaru. But realizing it was Sesshoumaru who held her brought another emotion, anger.

"What the hell are you doing?"

She flailed her arms, hitting him repeatedly in attempt to get him to release her. When he didn't, she screamed, knowing the close proximity would hurt his ears. She continued to struggle and when he finally let her go, Kagome was furious.

"Are you insane?" She shouted, removing her headphones and attempting to cover herself.

"I am sorry. I called, you didn't…"

He ducked as she threw a bar of soap at him.

"Get out! Get out pervert!"

He backed out of the room, avoiding the bottle of shampoo that went flying past his head to shatter against the wall. As soon as he was gone, Kagome slumped back into the tub, her hand coming up to clutch her chest. She tried to figure out what the hell had just happened while trying to calm her racing heart.

_Damn, even my reiki is going crazy. _She urged her energy down as she once again moved to get out of the tub, pausing when she finally noticed the door.

"There's nothing left." Remembering Sesshoumaru saying that all the doors in the house were youkai strength, Kagome once again found herself in awe of the Taiyoukai's power. There was literally nothing but dust left. As she forced the last remnants of her reiki back into herself, something else occurred to her. _My reiki didn't even phase him…I can purify demons within seconds and it didn't even phase him. _She couldn't believe how strong he was and yet he'd held her so gently.

It did not escape her notice that since the door was gone, so was her privacy. Spreading out her aura, she tried to discern where he was. Satisfied that he was not going to walk in on her, she climbed out of the tub, drying herself in record time before securely wrapping the towel around herself. Reaching for her mp3 player, she frowned when it wasn't on the table. She scanned the room, gasping when she saw it lying some ways off on the floor, covered in shampoo.

"No!" she shouted, picking it up and wiping the soap off. The screen was black and she groaned as no matter what she did, the device refused to turn on. She slid down the wall, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

~Shift~

_What has that woman done to me? _Sesshoumaru thought, walking into the kitchen to start lunch. He'd never been so worried as when he'd knocked on the door and she hadn't answered. Those few seconds before he'd wrapped her in his arms had been sheer terror and terror was a new feeling for him. As taiyoukai, he didn't worry. He didn't need to, no one stood up to him—no one except her. Even now as her reiki caressed his skin with the barest touch, he worried for her. She was so fragile. Even though she now shared his life span, she could still die and that thought terrified him.

He paused as her scent once again changed and fear filled her aura. He started to rush back upstairs, but stopped himself, knowing he would only anger her. Forcing himself to focus on something other than her scent, he went to the fridge. He busied himself with making lunch and hoped she would calm down by the time she came downstairs. But when he heard her shout, he couldn't hold himself back any longer. He bolted back up to the bathroom, surprised to see her slumped against the wall, tears streaming down her face, something clenched in her hands.

"Kagome," he said, walking over to kneel beside her. "Kagome, what's wrong?"

"Just leave me alone," she whispered.

He frowned and reached out to grasp her chin, but she turned away from him. "Kagome, I cannot help if you do not tell me what is wrong." He reached out once more to touch her, but she slapped his hand away.

"No!"

"Kagome?"

"Why can't you just leave me alone?" She murmured, curling away from him.

She buried her head in her arms and Sesshoumaru finally saw the mp3 player clutched in her hand. He gently pulled it from her grasp, the reason for her anger becoming apparent when the device refused to turn on.

"Kagome, is this what has upset you?"

"It won't turn on," she mumbled, raising her head slightly to look at him. "It got covered in shampoo when I threw that bottle at you."

"I am sorry." He set the object down, once again reaching out to touch her face, relieved when this time, she didn't avoid him.

She trembled and Sesshoumaru noticed for the first time that the towel wrapped around her had fallen open and her skin was breaking out into goosebumps. Reaching forward, he picked her up, surprised when she leaned into him. He carried her over to the bed and set her down before walking over the dresser.

"Here," he said softly, returning with a hoodie and some sleep pants. He helped her change before helping her back into the bed. "I am going to go get you some food. Just relax. Why don't you watch some TV?"

He handed her the remote and then walked out, discreetly pocketing her mp3 player as he went. He doubted the shampoo could have completely killed the device. After all, shampoo was very viscous. And from what he could see, it hadn't gotten in any of the buttons. Going to her room, he found her charger mixed in with some of her things and walked down the stairs.


	10. Fly

Care to Make a Bet

A.N. I have to say, I was a little shocked by some of the reactions to my last chapter, mostly regarding Kagome's reaction to the loss of her mp3 player. I hope your questions will be answered in this chapter. Also, I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but it was the best stopping place in what I have written and so that's why I decided to stop there.

Disclaimer: I do not own the lyrics to R. Kelly's song "I Believe I Can Fly."

batousai1: I'm glad you're enjoying my story. I try my damndest to make sure that my stories are unique. I hate how long it takes me to find a story to read that has a unique plotline. It's as if some authors just follow an outline and then pass it on to another author.

randomfan17: I have to agree with you, but for me it would be my computer. Whenever something happens to Havoc (my computer is named Havoc Prrrrpt after Lieutenant Havoc from Full Metal Alchemist), I become almost inconsolable. And yeah, if someone barged in on me while I was taking a bath, that's exactly how I would react.

Chapter 10: Fly

_I thought so, _Sesshoumaru thought as he plugged the mp3 player in. It only took a moment for the device to flair to life. _The battery must have been drained when it hit the floor._

He didn't know why Kagome had gotten so upset over the apparent loss of her mp3 player, but he was glad he would be able to at least be able to fix that. He set the mp3 player aside to charge and set about fixing lunch. Deciding something simple was in order, he put a pot on the stove and filled it with water. When it boiled, he opened two packages of ramen and added them to the pot. Getting two bowls down, he quickly prepared the two of them a tray of food and unplugged the mp3 player, slipping it into his pocket. Walking back upstairs, he entered the room slowly, not wanting to startle her. She was sitting in the same place he'd left her, sniffling occasionally as she watched cartoons.

"Kagome, I brought you some food," he said softly, setting the tray in her lap. For a moment, she didn't move or even seem to take any notice that he'd entered the room and he feared she would refuse to eat, but as he walked around to the other side of the bed to sit beside her, her eyes shirted to look at the tray.

"Ramen?" She said in confusion.

"Yes. Do you not like it?" He reached over and picked up his own bowl.

"Huh?" she said, looking over at him for a moment before shaking her head. "Oh no, it's not that. I just can't picture you eating ramen."

"Hn." He mentally sighed in relief as she picked up her chopsticks and began slurping noodles. "I had some left over from when my half brother visited me."

"Your brother?"

"Yes, he lives in Osaka, but he was here a few months ago to visit his friend Miroku."

"But the legends all said you hated your brother."

"Oh? You have heard stories of me?" Sesshoumaru inquired, mentally logging that information away for a later date.

"I'm a miko. Of course I was taught about you and your family. You're the reigning Taiyoukai of the West after all. Which by the way, do you still have any power? Or is it all been transferred to humans? But anyways, I'd heard that Inuyasha died. The mighty Kikyo sealed him to a tree."

"For a while yes, but he was freed later on. But my brother's life story—or this Sesshoumaru's for that matter—is not what is important. Do you want to tell me why you got so upset earlier?"

"I'm sorry. It was just the culmination of everything. That mp3 player was one of the first things Sango gave me when I moved in. I was extremely depressed and came close to having a nervous breakdown and she gave that mp3 player to me in hopes that music—specifically American 90s alternative music—would comfort me. We used a computer at the library to add music to it, but now I have no way of getting that music back."

"I wouldn't say that." He pulled the mp3 player from his pocket and held it out to her. Kagome look at him in confusion and he chuckled. "The battery just got drained when you threw it at me."

"Are you serious?" She jerked it out of his hands and Sesshoumaru loved the way her eyes lit up and she squealed in joy. Her ramen forgotten, Kagome quickly put on the headphones and turned the device on. Sesshoumaru watched in curious delight as Kagome closed her eyes and allowed whatever song she was listening to to surround her. She didn't even seem to realize he was still in the room. He was even more surprised when she began to sing.

"I used to think that I could not go on,

And life was nothing but an awful song.

But now I know the meaning of true love,

I'm leaning on the everlasting arms.

If I can see it, then I can do it.

If I just believe it, there's nothing to it."

Sesshoumaru muted the TV, doubting he'd heard anything more beautiful in his life. He watched her in sheer awe, unable to tear his eyes from her as she sang the lyrics. He knew that after this, he was going to have to find some way to get her to sing for him on a regular basis. Her voice was absolutely heavenly.

"I believe I can fly.

I believe I can touch the sky.

I think about it every night and day,

Spread my wings and fly away.

I believe I can soar.

I see me running through that open door.

I believe I can fly.

I believe I can fly.

I believe I can fly."

He had to admit, he had been a little surprised when Kagome had chosen an American song to listen to. But he could see why this song comforted her. The song seemed to inspire hope, something he was sure she would have needed during her first few months in the States.

"See I was on the verge of breaking down,

Sometimes silence can seem so loud.

There are miracles in life I must achieve,

But first I know it starts inside of me.

Oh, if I can see it, then I can be it.

If I just believe it, there's nothing to it."

He found himself wondering what would become of her if he hadn't wandered into the club that first evening. He rarely went to places like that, but that night, he'd felt drawn. Something had told him that he was needed there. And as soon as he'd seen her, fighting to distance herself from the crowds as she made her way to the backroom, he'd known she was the one who had drawn him in. The sadness in her eyes had called to him. He'd immediately found himself overcome with the urge to destroy whatever was causing her pain. _It is hard to think I can feel this way about a human. _

I believe I can fly.

I believe I can touch the sky.

I think about it every night and day,

Spread my wings and fly away.

I believe I can soar.

I see me running through that open door.

I believe I can fly.

I believe I can fly.

Oh, I believe I can fly.

Thinking back to that night, Sesshoumaru realized it had been Kagome's spirit that had called him into the club that night. He'd felt her reiki on the edge of his senses, reaching out for help, and he'd ventured inside to get closer to her energy.

"Hey, cause I believe in me.

Oh, If I can see it, then I can be it.

If I just believe it, there's nothing to it."

He doubted the woman in front of him was aware that she had called to him for help, but the way her reiki had wrapped around him that night, and every night after that, left little doubt. His little miko had unconsciously pleaded him to save her.

"I believe I can fly.

I believe I can touch the sky.

I think about it every night and day,

Spread my wings and fly away.

I believe I can soar.

I see me running through that open door.

I believe I can fly.

I believe I can fly.

I believe I can fly."

And nothing in heaven or hell could have stopped him from doing just that.

"Hey, if I just spread my wings,

I can fly.

I can fly.

I can fly.

Hey, if I just spread my wings.

I can fly.

Fly-eye-eye."

When she finished, Kagome took the headphones out of her ears and turned to look at Sesshoumaru.

"That was beautiful."

"Thanks," she said softly, bushing. "It's one of my favorite songs. It really helped me get through some of the harder days. It gave me hope that I could improve my situation and that Hojo wouldn't control me forever."

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru said, looking directly into her eyes. "I have been meaning to ask you, would you like me to pay your friend's debt?"

Kagome sighed, looking down at her now cold ramen for a moment before she answered. "As much as I want to say yes, I know Sango wouldn't accept. She has too much pride for that."

"But she should not have to work there."

"I know. And I agree that something should be done, but even if you save Sango, there are still dozens of other girls under Hojo's control."

"Well, rest assured, this Sesshoumaru will do whatever he can to see that Hojo gets what he deserves. Now, would you like to see your new room?"


	11. First Steps

Care to Make a Bet

**randomfan17:** Ironically, my computer is one of the only things that I do name. Most people name their cars or things like that, but only my computer has a name. I guess because I spend so much time with him. But Havoc's name is Havoc for another reason as well. He wreaks havoc on my life daily, causing me more grief than most all my other possessions combined. And the emotional attachment that Kagome feels for the mp3 player is very high, and it is part of the reason that Kagome reacted so violently to its apparent demise, but I was trying to show that it was just one of those times when everything seems to go wrong at once and you simply can't take anymore. I know I've had plenty of those days myself and I wanted to show the utter misery that accompanies that feeling. And as for Hojo, I haven't yet decided how he will get what's coming to him…but it's coming. You can be sure of that!

**Cosmic-lover:** I decided to have Sesshoumaru give Kagome her own room so that she could have some privacy. Having shared a dorm room with two girls my freshman year of college, I know the meaning of having a space that is yours and yours alone. Somewhere where no one can bother you and you can simply relax. I felt that given her situation, Kagome needed a space like this, a place that she could totally warp around herself. Because as we all know, Sesshoumaru puts his influence on everything he touches. So I wanted this to be a place for Kagome alone. I hope that answers your question.

Lastly, to the person who sent me a flame for having a song in the last chapter, if your life is so boring that you have to search out silly reasons to try to anger someone and try to get a rile out of them to start a fight, look somewhere else. A story is not a songfic just because there is a song. If you didn't like it, then don't read the lyrics.

Chapter 11: First Steps

"I can do this," Sango said as she prepared to enter the cub for the first time since Kagome had moved out. Given the condition of her face, Hojo had graciously allowed her to take a week off to recover. Now that she had to go back into the club, she was terrified. Tonight there would be no Kagome to help cheer her up when the customers got a little frisky. No one to protect her from Hojo. Taking a deep breath, Sango pushed open the door and entered the back room.

"You're back!" Keiko, a fellow dancer said as smiled warmly at the taijiya and pulled her into her arms. "I heard what happened. I just wanted you to know that we're all here for you. Are you still in any pain?"

"No, I'm not. Kagome sent me some pain meds yesterday."

"How is Kagome? I haven't been able to find out anything other than she's out."

Sango nodded, fighting the tears that sought to well in her eyes at the thought of facing this job without her best friend. "Yeah, she's out. You remember that man, the one she met in the private room?"

"Yeah, that was the last time I saw her."

"Well, he p…" Sango paused, unsure of how Keiko would react if she told her the truth of how Kagome's debt was paid.

"He what?"

"It um, turns out he knew Kagome."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah,"

"So, he paid her debt I'm guessing."

"Yeah, he's letting Kagome work at his ranch to pay it off. I don't blame her for wanting to owe him money instead of Hojo."

"Me either. Hojo is a bastard. Speaking of, we better get ready for tonight before Hojo gets here."

Sango nodded and they parted ways. Entering the dressing room, Sango walked to her closet, pausing as she passed Kagome's dressing table. All her things where still scattered across the vanity as if she were going to come by anytime and pick them up again. Sango tried to smile. She knew she should be happy for her friend, but at the same time, she knew there would be no knight in shining armor coming to save her. She was on her own.

Changing into her "uniform," Sango gathered her courage and walked out of the dressing room. "Lord, help me."

Kagome hesitantly stepped off the porch and walked into the grass. Looking back at the house, she glanced at Sesshoumaru, who was standing at the window, watching her. She turned away and looked around, unsure of where to go before walking out towards the field.

She touched the wheat gently, smiling as her fingers drifted over the golden stalks and she stepped into the field. Extending her hands, she continued to let her fingers glide over the tops of the wheat. The field seemed to go on forever, a sea of gold that shifted like waves in the wind.

She walked a little further into the field, enjoying the way the wind caressed her skin. Stretching her arms skyward, Kagome closed her eyes and let herself truly relax for the first time in months.

Sesshoumaru watched Kagome walk around the outside of the house. This morning, when they'd woken up—after she'd pitched a fit at having once again been moved to his bed during the night—Kagome had told him she was beginning to feel imprisoned. He'd suggested she take a walk around the grounds to clear her head. She had agreed on the condition that he remain inside the house. So, here he sat, watching as his mate curiously entered the wheat field next to the house. Adjusting the zoom on his camera, he took another picture of her. He hadn't been able to resist. The way she stretched out her arms to graze over the tops of the wheat had just been too perfect not to photograph. She continued her journey through the field and Sesshoumaru couldn't take his eyes off her. When she finally turned and began walking in the direction of the barn that sat to one side of the field, Sesshoumaru smiled, picking up the phone and dialing a familiar number.

"Miroku. My new mate is headed towards the barn."

"Would you like me to saddle one of the horses for her?"

"If she wants, yes, but wait and let her decide on the horse."

"Of course. Oh, before I forget. Rin wanted me to tell you she doesn't like not being able to come see you when she comes to ride."

"If Rin shows up today, tell her I will call her tomorrow. I miss her as well, but I don't want to overwhelm Kagome."

"I see. Well, I will be sure to pass that along. Anything else?"

"No." Hanging up the phone, Sesshoumaru continued to watch Kagome until she got out of eyesight.

A.N. Sorry for the exceedingly short chapter, I've come to a block and so I decided to end the chapter there.

A.A.N I'm typing the next chapter right now. It should be up no later than tomorrow night!


	12. A Very Conversational Couple of Days

Care to Make a Bet

Please note that after deliberating on this story's timeline and in order to make things fit, I have altered the timeline so that Sango has been off work for a week when she finally returns to work. That is the reason for the previous chapter edit. You'll see why I changed this in the next chapter. Till then, I hope you enjoy the chapter!

**randomfan17:** Don't worry, I'm not going to leave Sango to fend for herself. But, I am having some trouble figuring out how to stage it so it doesn't LOOK staged, if you get what I mean. I want Miroku and Sango to get to know each other without anyone just thinking Sesshoumaru sent him there to rescue Sango. Which he won't be doing. I just don't figure out how to do that without it seeming staged or forced. And yes, I hate Hojo. No man is EVER that nice without having ulterior motives.

**Cosmic-lover:** I'm actually thinking about painting/drawing picture that Sesshoumaru took of her. I just haven't decided what medium I'm going to use. And yup, I got Miroku in there. It sorta hit me that I haven't written a major story with Miroku having a major role and that is just not acceptable considering that Miroku is my second favorite character from the show. Rin and Kagome might not meet for another chapter or two as Sesshoumaru doesn't want to overwhelm Kagome, but she is coming. ^_^

**Keyshia Pooh: **In answer to your questions: 1. Rin is Sesshoumaru's daughter as that is the only acceptable role for her to fall into in my opinion. 2. Kagome and Sesshoumaru are already mated. He mated her the first night they spent together. 3. And finally, yes. Sango is going to be rescued, I just haven't figured out how yet. And if you look at the first review I responded to, you'll see what my current dilemma is with figuring out how Sango will escape Hojo's grasp.

**ThePandaHat: **I pride myself on my bad guys normally not being Naraku. He's the reason I got bored with the show considering it was always him, or something he spawned, or someone he tricked. So, I try to avoid Naraku whenever possible. And if the story is set in the modern era, more often than not I decide on Hojo because I utterly despise him. And if you want the reason, look up to the first review response for this chapter.

**Chapter 12: A Very Conversational Couple of Days**

"Did you have fun?" Sesshoumaru said as Kagome came into the kitchen.

"That was awesome," Kagome said as she jumped up onto the counter. "You didn't tell me you had horses."

"Didn't I? Well, I am glad you had fun."

"Yeah, I did." Glancing at Sesshoumaru, who was fixing their lunch, she began to fiddle with the spices on top of the stove. "Sesshoumaru, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course," he replied as he flipped their sandwiches. "What is it?"

"How come you don't live in a huge mansion or something?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you must be loaded if you could pay my debt so easily. So, why aren't you living in some mansion or surrounded society's elite? Why don't you have hundreds of servants whose entire existence revolves around serving you? Why did you pi…" she paused, suddenly very interested in the fabric of her pants.

Setting down the spatula, Sesshoumaru turned and looked at her. "Why did I pick you?"

She refused to look at him and Sesshoumaru knew he'd guessed right. Turning back to the stove, he removed their sandwiches from the pan and carried them to the table. Then he walked back to the fridge and retrieved two cokes, as well as a jar of pickles, some lettuce, tomatoes, mayo and mustard. When he got back to the table, she was just sitting down and he sat down beside her. "Taisho manor is located in Osaka. I moved here about five years ago just for a change of scenery. Five hundred years in the same place can get a little boring. Inuyasha is running things while I am away."

"Osaka? But Inuyasha was sealed to Goshinboku, and that's in Tokyo."

"Yes, Inuyasha is Lord of the East. The forest that surrounds the Meiji Jingū Shrine is called Inuyasha Forest. However, Inuyasha is more of a wanderer. He is content to let the humans control his territory. But he has agreed to watch over things for me in Osaka until I return."

"I see. And me?"

"Your reiki drew me to you. It called me to save you."

"Uh, huh." She said softly, looking at him dubiously. No demon went to save a miko. It just wasn't possible. _They might come to watch the miko die, or even to help, but never to save. Not that I even needed saving. _Ok, she knew that was a lie. She had no doubt if Sesshoumaru hadn't wandered into that club that she'd still be there, slaving away, but that didn't mean she wanted to be reminded of her helplessness. Shaking her head, she decided to change the subject to something other than the club. "But shouldn't you have some rich demoness as your mate?"

"Perhaps,"

Sensing she wasn't going to get anything else from him, Kagome looked instead to the sandwich he'd placed in front of her. "What is this?"

"Turkey, Ham, and Bacon on Italian bread." She looked at the toasted sandwich before looking back at him. "Normally, I would have toasted this in a Panini press, but Miroku broke mine."

"So buy a new one."

"That is Miroku's job."

"Sure, whatever." _He can afford to just pay my entire dept, but he doesn't want to shell out forty dollars for a Panini press? _ "How does Miroku fit into all this?"

"Miroku moved here with me from Osaka. He said it was time for a change. This Sesshoumaru believes there might have been another reason though."

"What was that?"

"It is not important."

"Alright." Kagome watched Sesshoumaru out of the corner of her eye as she began to pile lettuce and pickles onto her sandwich. She might have imagined it, but she could have sworn she'd seen sadness in his eyes as he mentioned the other reason for Miroku's presence, Inwardly shrugging, Kagome took a bite of her sandwich, pausing momentarily to savor the taste before letting her mind wander.

Her thoughts kept coming back to Sango. She tried to tell herself that Sango was fine. Sango had been there longer than Kagome had and that she could take care of herself, but she couldn't bring herself to admit it. Hojo would no doubt still be furious with Kagome for finding a way out from under his hold, and she had a feeling that he would take it out on Sango. And that worried her more than she was willing to admit. _If I could just see her, maybe I can put my mind at ease. _She snorted almost immediately. _Fat chance._

"Kagome?" Sesshoumaru said softly as he walked into her room. "Aren't you coming to bed?"

"I'm good right here thanks."

Sesshoumaru chuckled. "Alright then."

He walked back out, listening as she walked across the room and locked the door behind him. Every night was the same. He wondered if she would hide tonight, or if she would just remain where she was, seated in an armchair by the window, until he gave up and left her alone. She'd done that once before and he'd found her an hour later curled up on the couch downstairs. But most nights, she hid somewhere in the house and every time he thought he'd figured out all the possible places she could hide, he'd find her tucked away in some corner he'd overlooked. He went back to his room, content to let her play her game for now. He'd return in a bit when she'd fallen asleep.

Sure enough, thirty minutes later when he returned to Kagome's room, she was fast asleep in the chair. He walked over and picked her up, marking her place in the book resting in her lap and setting it on the table. As he carried her to their room, he couldn't help but admire her determination. He had expected her to give up days ago, but she still refused to willingly enter his bed. He supposed she was trying to avoid giving him the opportunity to make love to her.

As he climbed into bed beside her, he kissed her forehead. _She will come around eventually._

"Mmmm," Kagome moaned, slowly waking up from one of the best nights of sleep she'd had in days. She could feel the sun upon her face and she lay still for a moment, content to relax in the arms that held her. _Arms?_

Opening her eyes, Kagome growled when she saw the magenta striped face before her. Grumbling quietly, she gently pried herself from his embrace and walked to the window. She watched the shifting wheat for a few minutes before looking at the clock on the wall. _Sango should be up by now._ She reached down to pick up her phone before quietly exiting the room.

"Come on Sango," she said, dialing her number yet again. "Answer the phone."

"Is something wrong?"

"Sango isn't answering her phone," she said without turning to look at him. "I've been trying to call her for over an hour now, but all I get is her voicemail."

"I am sure she is fine. Perhaps her phone died."

"It's not a cell phone." She finally turned to face him, her eyes filled with concern. "And she wouldn't have gone out now."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because, she always makes lunch for two of the girls at the club."

"Perhaps she already left to bring lunch to the girls?"

"No, they come over from the club to eat at the apartment. Look, you don't know her like I do. I know she's in that apartment, but for some reason she's refusing to answer my calls."

Sighing, Sesshoumaru picked up his keys. "Alright, come on."

"Where are we going?"

"To see Sango of course."

When they got to his car, Sesshoumaru opened her door and she slid silently onto the seat. They remained silent for a while, each caught in their own thoughts. But as they turned onto the expressway, Sesshoumaru spoke.

"So, what does Sango cook?"

"What do you mean?" Kagome said, watching as their surroundings changed from the types of trees she'd grown accustomed to seeing around Sesshoumaru's house to buildings and shopping centers.

"What types of foods does she cook for those girls?"

"American foods, you know like pizza and chicken pot pie. Stuff like that."

"But isn't Sango Japanese?"

"Yes, but the girls she cooks for aren't. They're Americans. So, while she makes traditional Japanese food every once in a while, she normally tries to make their favorite foods. She's always trying to help the other girls and make their lives a little more comfortable."

"That is very admirable of her."

"That's just the way she is."


	13. An Unthinkable Outcome

Care to Make a Bet

**LollyLoveBug: **I am glad you are enjoying my story. I too wish that I could find a guy like the way Sesshoumaru is portrayed in this story. In fact, one of my friends was asked to describe what she thought MY ideal boyfriend would be and she said "Well, he would be 6'5" have long silver hair. Oh and it wouldn't hurt if his name was Sesshoumaru." I hope things worked out with your boyfriend and that you enjoy this next chapter as well.

**XxSoliexHiddenxX: **Sorry, I am confused. Do you mean that you used to lock yourself in your room when you didn't want to be around someone? Your description was too vague for me to understand. And do not fear, Sango's knight in shining armor is coming. I even know how I'm going to do it now. ^_^

**Cosmic-lover: **Thanks for the suggestions. I have successfully figured out how to get Sango and Miroku together and I hope you are not disappointed by how I do it. I think it's rather ingenious since it was so hard to come up with a realistic way for them to meet that wouldn't be cliché or just lame in general. It's also nice to know that someone shares my very obviously dislike of Hojo. If you liked the Kagome and Sesshoumaru bonding you'll get to see some more in this chapter….I'm just hoping I'm not rushing things again like I tend to do. Do me a favor and tell me if I've made a mistake—and trust me, you'll know what I'm referring to when you get to the end of this chapter.

**randomfan17: **Lol, I'm glad you were enjoying your show. My dad used to like watching Doctor Who.

**Chapter 13: An Unthinkable Outcome**

"Sango! Open this door!" Kagome shouted, pounding on the door to the apartment. "I know you're in there Sango!"

"Don't you have a key?"

"No, you destroyed the door remember. New door, new lock." She continued to pound on the door, calling out the woman within. Sesshoumaru wondered why the woman was ignoring them. He could hear her moving around inside, but for some reason she was refusing to confront them.

"Sango," Kagome said finally. "If you don't open this door right now, Sesshoumaru is going to force it open!"

The youkai in question raised his eyebrow, amused with her threat, but he couldn't see it working. If the woman didn't want to see them, that was that. Nothing Kagome could say could change that. But, surprisingly, before he had a chance to say anything, the lock clicked and the door slowly opened.

Sesshoumaru didn't know what he was expecting when Sango let them into the apartment, but the sight before them definitely wasn't it. Sango looked broken; there was no other way to describe it. Her eyes held no life as she let them in. It looked as if she'd lost her very desire to live.

"Oh Sango, what has he done to you?" Kagome placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, frowning when the young dancer winced. "Is he still beating you?"

Sango shook her head and led them over to the couch. She winced once again as she sat down and Sesshoumaru noticed a smell that hadn't been there the last time they had been here. Debating for a moment on if she should tell Kagome, he decided to give the woman a chance to tell her first. Offering to make tea, he left them alone to talk.

"Sango," Kagome said when Sesshoumaru had left. "What's going on? Why wouldn't you answer my calls?"

I…um…I've been busy."

"Don't give me that! I know you too well to accept that! What's wrong?" Sango shook her head and Kagome watched as her eyes glazed over and she stared vacantly into space. "Sango?"

"It started a few days after you left," she said. "He said it was my fault and that I deserved it."

"Deserved what?" Kagome felt her instincts go into overdrive as one of the worst thoughts passed through her mind. Praying it wasn't true, she knelt before her withered friend. "Sango, please tell me."

The sound of keys in the hallway startled them and Sango leapt to her feet, her eyes widening in horror as she pulled Kagome towards the kitchen. "He's here!"

"What?"

"You have to get out of here!"

"What? No!" Kagome pulled away, trying to get free. "Sango, let go! I'm not leaving you."

"No, he'll be angry if he knows you've been here. Please! You have to go!" She gave Kagome a desperate shove towards the fire escape as the key turned in the lock. "Just go now please!"

Sesshoumaru appeared beside Kagome and pulled her to the window. Kagome stared at Sango in fear, refusing to look away as Sesshoumaru pulled her outside and leapt onto the roof of the next building.

"No! Let me go!" Kagome screamed. She jerked in Sesshoumaru's arms, trying to pry herself free as he walked out of view of the apartment. "He's in there right now!"

"We cannot go back," Sesshoumaru said as she continued to struggle against him. Decided that it would only draw unwanted attention, he left the car where it was and summoned his cloud to carry them home. As they rose towards the clouds, Kagome let out an agonized shriek of her friend's name and Sesshoumaru had to force himself not to go back and destroy Hojo for causing her such pain. But he also knew that, in this modern society, that would cause more trouble than it would fix. How he longed for the age where he could merely melt anyone who got in his way.

Kagome refused to look at him the entire trip back to the house. And though he knew she must be captivated by the journey over the city, she didn't make any movement to show she'd noticed it. When they finally landed back in front of his house, she jerked out of his arms and pushed him away from her. "You bastard! He could be beating her to a pulp right now!"

"He is not beating her."

"How can you be so sure?"

She turned to face him and Sesshoumaru sighed. He did not want to tell her this, but he could tell that she wouldn't leave him alone until he explained. "Think back to what she said."

Kagome thought for a moment, trying to remember what she had been talking to Sango about before they'd had to leave. "Oh God," she said suddenly, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as Sango's words rushed back to her. _"It started a few days after you left. He said it was my fault and that I deserved it."_

"He's…he's…Oh God." Her knees gave out and she fell towards the ground, but he caught her and cradled her to him. She seemed to be in shock, staring ahead as she tried to take everything in. "This is all my fault…" she said finally, turning to bury her face into his chest and grasping at his shirt. "If I hadn't left, she would never have been forced to…"

"This is not your fault," Sesshoumaru said softly, wiping at the tears that were now falling steadily from her eyes.

"How can you say that?" She sobbed, looking up at him angrily. "None of this would have happened if I hadn't gone with you that night! Don't you see? He's doing this to hurt me! I'm the one he wants!" She jerked violently in is arms, suddenly wanting nothing more than to escape his gentle embrace. "Let me go!"

"It will be alright," Sesshoumaru cooed in her ear, trying to soothe her by stroking her hair and rubbing her back.

"It will NOT be ok! My best friend is being raped right now because I couldn't win a stupid bet!"

He was surprised when she hit him. The unexpected blow to his chest, while painless, spoke volumes to the pain of the woman before him. Silently, he allowed her to release her frustration and rage on him. Blow after blow landed on his chest and when her strikes ceased and she crumpled into her misery, he picked her up and carried her to their room. He laid her down, pulling her shoes off and drawing the covers up around her. He stood to leave, thinking she would probably like to be left alone. But before he could, she grabbed his shirt.

"Kagome?" he said, sitting down beside her, his eyes looking over her concernedly. She sat up and crawled onto his lap, curling against his chest as she continued to sob.

"Please," she murmured, leaning up to look at him. "Don't leave me." She drew herself up against his chest, his eyes widening as her lips touched his.

He kissed her tentatively, unsure of what he should do. He knew why she was doing this, but he couldn't help but wonder what would happen when they woke up tomorrow. Would she be angry that he took advantage of her while she was upset? She was just beginning to open up to him. Did he really want to risk throwing it all away just for a moment's pleasure?

A.N. Alright, I'm stopping this chapter here. It's not where I want to stop—I have more written—but I'm not sure that I should continue this thread of thought. I don't want to rush this story like I have so many others. So, I'm leaving it up to you, my readers. If you would like me to continue this scene and have either a partial or whole lemon, or if you think it's too soon and I should wait, please tell me. I will go with whichever gets the most votes by the time I am next able to get online and check my email…which should be in a few days. So, I anxiously await your decisions! Until then…


	14. Saviors and Plans

Care to Make a Bet

Alright, so I got a ton of reviews this chapter and I'm glad so many of you trust my judgement…and I hope you are happy with the decision I made. Also, several of you have made requests for Hojo to be severely beaten and so I'm granting your wish….sort of. Look for a confrontation with Hojo coming in one of the next couple chapters. Well, I hope you enjoy this chapter, things should start shifting towards a more action-y style within the next few chapters as we get closer to the climax of this story.

Also, I just wanted to say that this story has been read more than all my other stories put together and so I thank you guys for your support. This has been my most successful story…and one of my favorites to write. I'm looking forward to seeing where this story is going to go.

**randomfan17: **I rather like this idea of yours. I just might implement that. I was wondering how to get something done and that might just be the thing to do it!

**Cosmic-lover: **Thanks for the compliments…I'm sure I don't deserve them. XD I always look at the complexity and depth of other stories and wish I could write like that. But I guess I gotta start somewhere and at least I'm getting better. I look back and my old stories and cringe—especially the first one I wrote….yeesh! Anyways, I'm really excited to have Miroku in this story as I think it's the first time I'll be giving him such a big role. And I hadn't really thought about which way I wanted Sango to feel, but you're right, it's something to consider. I can definitely say that both your suggestions of things that would be rushing hadn't even entered my mind so that's a good thing. And you're completely right and I realized it myself almost the moment I read your review. I've made the mistake before of writing something based on what someone else wanted and in the end, I wrote myself so far into a corner that I pretty much had to scrap everything except for the original first chapter. And I hated that. It was like saying the months I'd spent on that story had all been for nothing. The odds turned out in my favor this time since most people just either told me to do what I thought was best or they suggested what I already thought would be best. But I guess I got so excited that people were actually reading this story frequently that I felt I needed to encourage that by going with the wishes of the crowd…I'll stop that now. And as for too long of a review, there is no such thing! I love long reviews because it shows how much you like the story. ^_^ And trust me, you've been LOADS of help!

**ThePandaHat: **Sorry. ^_^;

**Trelweny Rosephoenixwol: **Did you review on both Fanfiction and Dokuga? Because if not I am rather confused….

**Kittykritik: **I had my reasons. I'm trying to play this as realistic as I can. If Sesshoumaru just kills Hojo or takes Sango there would be repercussions. And those repercussions might make it worse rather than better. And please don't attempt to tell me how I should or shouldn't react. A friend of mine was raped when we were in middle school and believe me, there is no good way to react. The only thing you can do is respect your friend's wishes and help them the way they want to be helped. Sango doesn't want someone just to pay her way out. She wants to earn it, so if Sesshoumaru just paid it all and made it all hunky dory she wouldn't see it that way. I'm trying to stay true to the characters I have created. I'm sorry if you don't see it that way.

**Chapter 14: Saviors and Plans**

He knew he shouldn't be doing this. He should get up before they went any further. But he could feel her pain in her touch and his inner youkai screamed for him to comfort his mate. Her fingers crept under his shirt to tease his stomach and he hissed. "Kagome," he whispered, his voice almost a growl as he moved to nibble at her neck. He could smell her arousal grow as he showered her mark with affection.

Her fingers crept out from beneath his shirt and moved to undo the line of buttons that held the cloth to him. But she apparently couldn't get them undone fast enough for her liking as a moment later he felt her yank on the edges of his shirt, sending buttons flying in every direction as she pushed the fabric off his shoulders. Her nimble fingers traced the muscles of his chest and her lips descended to worship his nipple. But as her hands found the edges of his pants, Sesshoumaru's senses returned.

"We cannot do this," he said, grasping her shoulders and pulling her up to look him in the eyes. She leaned down and tried to kiss him, but he pulled her back. "Kagome stop." She stopped moving almost immediately, going slack in the taiyoukai's arms as he debated on what to do next. She looked him directly in the eyes and he was once again shocked by the all-encompassing pain that filled her gaze. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears and, unable to think of anything else to do, Sesshoumaru drew her to him in a hug.

"I hate you!" She screamed suddenly, attempting to jerk out of his embrace. Thrown by this sudden change in her mood, Sesshoumaru drew her closer to him and cradled her to his chest. He whispered softly into her ear, attempting to get her to calm down as she continued to thrash in his arms. She continued to struggle for a few minutes and he found himself at a loss for what to do.

As she cried into his shirt, Sesshoumaru wished, not for the first, time that youkai were still in control of the world. His inner youkai demanded blood for the severe emotional damage to Kagome and her friend. He wasn't sure how much longer he could stop himself from killing Hojo himself, and he wasn't even sure he cared to stop himself anymore. There would be problems, annoyances that would have to be dealt with for killing a human. Any youkai would understand, but the humans and their laws would make him out to be the bad guy. So, the question was how to satisfy his inner youkai's need for retribution without causing too many hassles. He didn't want Kagome to suffer if he sought vengeance on Hojo and society attempted to convict him for it.

_Maybe it is time to seek outside help…_He thought, looking down at the now sleeping miko. He made sure she was fully asleep before reaching into his pocket for his phone. Glancing at the clock, he smirked as he realized he would no doubt wake him up. _Good. I've been slacking off on my duties as brother. With Kagome here I almost forgot how fun it is to torment him. _Dialing Inuyasha's number, he opened a new text.

Go to Tokyo and find out whatever you can about Akitoki Hojo and his father, including where Hojo grew up. Then come here. I have a job for you.

Closing his phone, he placed it onto the nightstand and clicked the buttons to turn off the lights. Leaning down, he kissed the top of Kagome's head and smiled when she snuggled closer to him. Deciding he could go for a nap himself, he gently shifted them so that Kagome was lying beside him with her head resting on his chest. She shivered slightly and he pulled the covers over them before threading his fingers through her hair, content to watch her sleep for a moment before falling into slumber himself.

~Shift~

Sango flinched as the door slammed. She couldn't stop the tears that drenched the sheets as she curled into a ball, clutching her legs to her chest as she sobbed. She could feel his semen oozing onto her legs and it sickened her, but when she tried to move, her legs were overcome with such spasms, all she could do was reach into the drawer by her bed for the bottle of water and wash rag that were now a permanent addition to her bedroom. The first time, she'd tried to get to the bathroom, but she'd barely made it three feet before her legs gave out under her and she went crashing to the floor.

After that, she'd made sure there was always a rag beside the bed so she could at least clean his vile essence out of her body. She poured water onto the rag and dragged it down her body to wipe at her core, which was still throbbing with excruciating pain. When she'd cleaned herself as best as she could, she sat up in a brief burst of strength, screaming as she flung the soiled rag across the room before falling back against the bed.

_I can't take much more of this. He's slowly killing me and I can't stop him. _She knew he was doing this to get back at Kagome for leaving. She was just a pawn…_Just like I've been all my life. _She was trying not to lose hope, but with each passing day, she could feel her resolve slipping as she resigned herself to her fate.

Pulling her legs back to her chest, Sango once again thought about what it would be like if someone offered to pay all her debt if she agreed to marry them. At first, she'd though Kagome crazy for even considering it, but now she was beginning to think she would do just about anything to get away from Hojo. With every passing day, he got more and more violent and she just knew one day soon he would break her.

"Doesn't anyone want to save me?"

~Shift~

When he woke up, the first thing Sesshoumaru noticed were the fingers tracing the stripes on his face. He opened his eyes, smiling at the young woman as she jerked her fingers away from him, apparently embarrassed at being caught.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

He chuckled, loving the way her blush enveloped her whole face. "Do you feel better?" he said, reaching up to brush a stray hair from her eyes.

She nodded, dropping her gaze down to look at her hands. She was silent for a few minutes and Sesshoumaru found himself hesitant to break the comfortable silence. When she finally spoke, her voice was so quiet that he almost missed it. "Thank you…for stopping me earlier."

Sesshoumaru nodded, tilting her head up to look at him when she refused to meet his gaze. "I knew that even though I wanted to, you did not."

"So, what are we going to do now? I can't leave Sango there. I just can't. She doesn't deserve this."

"In the past, before humans overran the youkai population, I would simply kill Hojo. But in this new day and age, that might cause you and the other girls to receive too much unwanted attention. So, I will leave it up to you. How far would you like me to take his punishment?"

"I want him dead," Kagome said, her voice ice cold as her eyes hardened in anger for a moment before softening again. "But the girls don't deserve to have all this brought out into the open. It's not their fault they're in there."

Sesshoumaru nodded, having been thinking something similar himself. "Well, first things first, we need to figure out how to get your friend out of there."

"She won't accept money from you."

"Well then we'll just have to find some other way to free her."

Kagome nodded, leaning against his chest as they once again fell into a comfortable silence. She was kind of surprised she felt comfortable lying here with him. She spotted his ruined shit lying next to them on the bed and blushed, remembering the way she'd torn it trying to seduce him. She'd been in so much pain; the only thing she could think of was finding some way to forget about it. But she was glad he'd stopped her.

_Maybe that's why I'm not uncomfortable lying here with him, _she thought. _I know he won't try anything. _The realization that she was beginning to trust him shocked her. Except for Sango, Kagome hadn't been able to trust anyone in a long time. Her mom ruined that for her when she sold her into this life.

"What are you thinking about?" He said, sliding his fingers through her hair.

"It's nothing," she said, smiling up at him for a moment before laying her head back on his chest.

"Hey wait," she said after a while. Where's your car?"


	15. Saved by Men in Tights

Care to Make a Bet

A.N. I have been looking forward to this chapter for a long time. Enjoy!

**Cosmic-lover:**I really agree with you. I didn't feel they were ready to take that step…but I was in the mood to write a lemon I guess…so I wrote a one shot to take care of that and then took this story where I thought it should. I felt it was time for Kagome to begin to trust Sesshoumaru. And yeah, Sesshoumaru is the king of self control….course we already knew that. I want Kagome and Sesshoumaru's final step into intimacy to be perfect, and it probably won't be for a while. In regards to your statement about Sango's feelings towards the knowledge of why Hojo is treating her this way, I myself have been in a situation where someone used me to cause someone else pain (obviously not to the extent that Sango's being used, but still) so I sorta took my own thoughts and enhanced them. And yes, Miroku is still the moral driven (except for that whole grabby hands thing) monk we all know and love. I haven't decided if he's going to actually be a monk but he's still going to be his awesome self. And that last sentence will have crucial significance in this next chapter so look forward to that.

**randomfan17:**I agree that I would totally rather work for Sesshoumaru than Hojo, and your plan for his demise sounds splendid...however a hitman is kinda an unneeded expense given the prowess of our favorite taiyoukai and hanyou. And the "I hate you" is getting tired I know, hence the step towards trust between the two of them. And I'm glad you liked that chapter! Hope you enjoy this one too!

**Chapter 15: Saved by Men in Tights**

"Hello? Oh hey Yash! No, Sesshoumaru isn't here. Something about clouds and men in tights. Uh-huh, alright. I'll tell him. Yeah, I can't believe it either. She's been yakking 24/7 since she found out you were coming to visit. Haha, yeah. Well, alright I'll see you in a few days! Bye dude."

Setting down the phone, Miroku turned his attention to the fridge. He'd come up to the main house in search of the steamed dumplings Sesshoumaru had hinted he was making, but so far his search had brought nothing but some leftover eel sushi and a few rice balls.

"I thought he said he was going to make extras."

Sesshoumaru's phone rang once again and he shut the fridge, grumbling as he walked back over to pick up the device. "Hello?"

"I-is Kagome there?"

Miroku frowned, who would be calling for Kagome? "Are you ok?"

"Just tell me if Kagome is there!"

"No, I'm afraid she's not. She and Lord Sesshoumaru have gone out for the evening."

A muffled sob filled the speaker and Miroku tried to think of what to say. Clearly something was wrong. Remembering something he'd heard Sesshoumaru say a couple days ago, he tried to think back to what the taiyoukai had said.

"Sango?" He said gently. "Is your name Sango?"

The sobs lessened slightly and he heard her sniffle. "How did you know my name?"

"I heard Sesshoumaru talking about you with Kagome. Are you ok?"

"No, I-I think my arm is broken. I need Kagome. I have to get to a hospital and she's the only person I can trust."

"Where are you?"

"I'm in my apartment."

"Ok, hold tight. I'm coming to get you."

She made to respond, but he cut her off. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

Shutting the phone, Miroku cursed Sesshoumaru for not taking it with him. He just hoped he could find the apartment. He knew where the club was—he'd driven Sesshoumaru there several times before the taiyoukai had rescued Kagome—and that the apartment building was across the street from the club, but he'd never actually been in the apartment building. He stuffed Sesshoumaru's phone inside his pocket and wrote a quick note to the taiyoukai before rushing out of the house, his dumplings forgotten.

When he got to the club, he was surprised to see Sesshoumaru's car parked a little ways off. _There__'__s__no__way__he__could__get__here__before__I__did.__They__were__supposed__to__be__going__to__Lawrenceville!_Pushing the thought from his mind, he pulled the phone from his pocket and called the woman back.

"Come on, answer the phone…"

But when he got the answering machine for the fifth time, Miroku gave up trying. Looking once again at Sesshoumaru's car, he wondered if perhaps Kagome had talked Sesshoumaru into coming to check on the woman, but quickly abandoned that idea. He'd been standing outside for almost ten minutes, and considering what the woman had told him on the phone, if Sesshoumaru truly was here, he would have already rushed her down to the car to take her to the hospital. He tried calling Sango one more time and then went inside, determined to bang on doors until he found her. As he entered the building however, he heard someone behind him and turned to see a young woman exit the club and walk across the street, heading straight towards him.

"Wait!" he said as she walked past him. "Do you know if this is the building Sango lives in?"

The woman turned around to look at him, her expression suspicious as she glanced him over. "How do you know Sango?" she asked finally.

"I'm a friend of Kagome's."

She snorted, turning to continue making her way down the hall. "Kagome has no friends."

Miroku felt his opportunity was slipping away. Even if this woman knew Sango, clearly she wasn't going to tell him anything. "Please," he said, reaching out towards her retreating form. "I work for Kagome's mate. Sango called looking for Kagome, saying she was hurt, but Kagome wasn't home! So I came to check on her instead."

She turned to glare at him for a few seconds and Miroku feared she would refuse to tell him, but then her expression softened and she pointed to the stairs. "Sango's apartment is the last room on the top floor."

"Thanks," he said, nodding quickly before taking off towards the stairs. When he got to the apartment, he started to bang on the door, but caught himself at the last moment and knocked as gently as he could. There was no answer so he tried again. "Sango? It's ok. I'm here to take you to the hospital."

He heard movement inside the apartment, but still she didn't come to the door. "I promise you can trust me. I just want to help. You can't wait for Kagome to get home! You need help now!"

He heard the key turn in the lock and let out a sigh of relief. However, the sight that met his eyes when she finally opened the door was shocking. The woman before him was barely standing. She leaned heavily against the door, refusing to put any weight on her left leg, and her left arm was curled against her body.

"Come on. Let's get you to a hospital." He reached out to help her walk, allowing her to lean against him for support. She shied away from him for a moment, but ended up leaning into him as he ushered her out of the apartment and down to his car.

~Shift~

Kagome cheered happily as the knights entered the arena, their banners held high above their heads as they raced around the enclosure. She'd been skeptical when Sesshoumaru had led her out of the house and onto his cloud. He'd refused to tell her anything other than that they were going out for the evening, but now she was glad he'd been so vague. When they'd landed in front of the castle shaped mall, she'd only been able to stare at him in surprise.

"I've had the tickets for days," he said as he motioned her towards the entrance.

She had no idea when she'd looked in those display cases outside that the company would go to such lengths to make the show enjoyable. The attention to detail was astonishing. The architecture was made to imitate that of medieval castles and all the employees were clothed in traditional renaissance cosplay outfits, giving the entire experience such a feeling of realism that she almost forgot it was all make believe.

Before the tournament began, they'd walked around the gift shop for a while. She'd squealed in joy when they found the cosplay outfits for sale, searching through all of them until she found the perfect one for her. They bought it and then she went to change so she could wear it for the rest of the show and when she returned, Sesshoumaru was gone. Frowning, she'd walked around for a minute until she found him standing near the little armory shop. The salesman was trying his hardest to convince Sesshoumaru to purchase one of the broadswords on display, but the taiyoukai merely scoffed and walked over to join Kagome. After that, they'd walked over to the bar to get some drinks before sitting down at one of the tables surrounding the giant fireplace on the far side of the shops.

So now, she was sitting next to him on a bench inside the massive indoor arena, her eyes darting everywhere as she tried to take everything in. She smiled at the waitress dressed as a bar wench who brought them their bread and soup as the knights continued to gallop around the arena. When they'd entered the main hall, the usher had told them they were going joining the blue knight's supporters for the night and so she'd made sure to look for him the moment the knights entered the paddock. The blue knight was built with the same slender, toned muscles that covered Sesshoumaru's form and he was riding a black stallion that had a single white patch above one of its hooves.

"This is so cool!" She said, cheering enthusiastically along with the others in their section. She turned to look at Sesshoumaru, surprised to find him sitting with his eyes closed. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine," he said, opening his eyes and smiling at her. "I just had to focus my youki for a moment so I could block out most of the cheering. My ears are very sensitive."

"Oh, ok. That's cool that you can do that. But can you still hear me when you do that?"

"Don't worry, I can choose what sounds to block out. Now, I believe our knight is about to begin his first joust."

She turned her attention back to the joust and soon found that the blue knight was by far the best knight on the field. He'd won three out of the four events he'd competed in so far, including successfully looping the dangling metal rings onto his lance, something only two of the other five knights had been able to do.

As the night progressed, Kagome felt found herself feeling happier than she been in weeks. She even found herself leaning comfortably against Sesshoumaru, especially after he bought her a solid white lily from a waitress as she walked by carrying a basket of flowers. When the man came by to take their picture, Kagome looped their arms together and rested her head on his shoulder, her face alight with happiness.

After the tournament, they headed back out to the shops to pick up their picture and take one last look at the gift shop before heading out into the night air.

"That was so much fun,"

"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Sesshoumaru said as they headed out into the parking lot, her arm still linked around his. She'd looped her arm around his when they'd gotten the picture so that she could see it better, but she didn't bother to remove it afterwards and he certainly wasn't going to. He was beyond thrilled with her new found trust in his presence, but he didn't want to call attention to it in case it caused her to regret her actions. He led her around a corner so he could summon his cloud, surprised when she sighed. "Something wrong?"

"Do we have to take your cloud home?"

"Did you not enjoy it?" he said, frowning in confusion even as he silently reveled in her reference to his house as her home.

"No, nothing like that!" Kagome said, wrapping her arms around herself. "It was just kinda cold and since it's a lot later now, it will be even colder."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "I understand. It does not matter to me. I could call Miroku to come and get us, but that might take a while. And since the mall is closed, we'd have to wait for him outside."

"Oh…right. Well, I guess there's nothing to do but suck it up and deal with the cold. If only we'd gone to get your car back from Sango's first."

"This Sesshoumaru is sorry he did not think of that." He sighed, trying to think of what to do. It seemed either way she was going to be cold. The smell of hamburgers drifted past his nose and he turned to look at her. "I have an idea. Do you think you'll be alright going a mile on my cloud? It will only take a minute."

"No, it's ok. We can just go home. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"I don't want you to be cold." He picked her up, summoning his cloud beneath them. "This won't take long."

"Where are we going?" Kagome asked, but she'd barely gotten the question out of her mouth before they'd landed in front of a diner. "Where is this?"

"Waffle House. They stay open all night. So, we can wait inside while I call Miroku to come get us."

"Oooooo, a jukebox!" she said when they walked in. "I've always liked those."

"Well, why don't you go pick us a song to listen to and I'll get us a table."

"Alright,"


	16. Holding out for a Hero

**Care to Make a Bet**

Cosmic-lover: See message. ^_^

Ditto Princess: Thanks. ^_^ It was really difficult to find a way for them to meet that wasn't cliché or obviously planned out. That is one of the reasons Sango's rescue took so long to come into reality. I just didn't know how to do it, and I didn't want to rush into it and write something stupid and I would later regret.

randomfan17: They have jousting arena's all over. It's called Medieval Times; you can go to their website to find a location near you. It's one of my favorite places to go. I've been twice—once in high school on a band trip to Disneyworld and then again a couple of years ago when my aunt surprised me with a trip there for my birthday. So, the scene was taken from my memories of what it is actually like. ^_^ And I really like the idea of going Madea on Hojo. I love those movies and since they take place in Atlanta it's just supports the idea that we should use her methods. Rest assured, Kagome is well on her way to trusting Sesshoumaru, it's just going to take a while. There shouldn't be much more fighting though. We're past that now.

**Chapter 16: Holding out for a Hero**

Kagome walked over to the jukebox, smiling as she looked over the selection. She only debated for a moment, before making her choice. She punched in the code and turned to walk to the booth near the back that Sesshoumaru had chosen as the intro to "Holding Out for a Hero" by Bonnie Tyler filled her ears.

"Sango loves this song," she said as she sat down.

Sesshoumaru chuckled. "I can understand why." Her gaze dropped to her hands and Sesshoumaru sighed. Grasping her chin in his hand, he gently pulled her gaze to his own. "I will free her."

"I know you will." She smiled weakly, holding her hand up to silence his reply as the waitress began walking towards them with their drinks.

"I hope you don't mind, but I ordered for us."

"That's fine." Kagome took a sip of her drink, her eyes closing at the taste. "Mmm, this is great. What is it?"

"Cherry Vanilla Coke. It is what I always get. They use syrup for the added flavors so it is always delicious."

"That's cool."

"I suppose I should call Miroku."

"There's no hurry," Kagome said as he reached into his pocket. "I kind of like it here. It's quiet and it's not like we have anywhere else to be. Let's just sit and enjoy it. Although, I must say, I don't think I would ever picture you eating here."

"Why not?"

"It's too simple, I guess. I would expect you to eat somewhere fancier than this. But then again, I don't really know that much about you. I've been relying on what I expect you to do, but you never seem to do what I expect you too."

Sesshoumaru chuckled. "If you wish to know more about me, you only need to ask. I like the atmosphere here. Especially at times like these when we are the only ones here."

"I like it too. It's relaxing."

He nodded. "Exactly." The waitress arrived with their food and Sesshoumaru thanked her before turning to see what Kagome would think.

"It looks good!" She said, eagerly buttering her waffle before pouring on some syrup and picking up her fork to dig in. "What did you get?" she asked curiously, not recognizing the sandwich he was biting into.

"A patty melt. This one's stomach required meat."

Kagome chuckled, reaching over to steal one of his fries. "Then I guess you won't miss a couple of fries."

He shook his head and they fell into a comfortable silence as they ate in the deserted diner. When they finished eating, Kagome got up to go to the restroom and Sesshoumaru reached into his pocket for his phone, frowning when he couldn't find it. _I must have left it at home_, he thought, getting up to use the pay phone near the bathrooms.

"We're leaving," Sesshoumaru said as Kagome exited the bathroom.

"What? Why?" She asked as he grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the door, stopping just long enough to pay their bill. "I thought Miroku was picking us up. Surely he's not here already."

"Sango is in the hospital," he said, walking behind the building where they wouldn't be seen.

"What?"

"Miroku is there with her. I didn't get a chance to get all the details." Once he was assured of their privacy, he picked Kagome up, apologizing for his abruptness as he gathered his youki around them. "I'm going to take us there in my youki sphere. It is faster than my cloud; however you may experience some nausea or lightheadedness."

Before Kagome could respond, they dissolved into a ball of light and shot into the sky. When they landed in front of DeKalb Medical Center five minutes later, Kagome had to cling to Sesshoumaru for a few seconds to regain her footing before rushing into the hospital.

"Where's Sango Kimura?" She said, almost running into the desk in her haste.

The receptionist smiled and looked down at her computer for a moment before pointing to the elevator. "She's in room 2107. Take the elevator to the second floor and then go down the hall to your left."

Before the woman had even finished, Kagome was off, running to the elevator without another word.

"I'm sorry," Sesshoumaru said. "She's not thinking too clearly right now."

"Don't worry about it," the receptionist said, waving him off as he thanked her for directing them. "That poor woman needs her attention more than I do." Sesshoumaru nodded and turned to see the elevator doors shut. Walking over to them, he patiently pressed the button and walked to the elevator to return.

When he exited the elevator, Miroku was waiting for him.

"I was just coming to find you," he said, tossing the taiyoukai's phone at him and pointing down to Sango's room. "I figured with Kagome here, you couldn't be too far behind."

"What happened?"

"As far as I can tell, Hojo recognized your car outside the apartment on his way out and confronted Sango about it. She refused to tell him anything about you or Kagome, so he beat her up. And frankly, I'm surprised she survived. The physical damage is bad, but it's her mental scarring that scares me the most. I have never seen someone's spirit so badly beaten. It's a miracle she hasn't lost her will to live."

Sesshoumaru had to restrain his growl. So this was his fault. It had been his decision to leave the car there when they had left earlier that day. He had thought it would draw less suspicion, not more. And now Sango was paying for his mistakes. "Did anyone see you leave?"

"I don't think so. I checked constantly on the way here, but no one stopped us. And no one has shown up here either. I guess he hasn't noticed yet. But we should probably get her to safety before morning though. He might come looking for her then."

"Agreed."

"So," Miroku said, looking in to where Kagome was kneeling beside the unconscious form of her friend, "what are you going to do?"

"I cannot allow her to go back. But this one does not wish to force her to do anything. The woman is very proud and will not accept help from others, even though it is obvious she cannot free herself on her own."

"Maybe this will convince her to change her mind. You are right though, we can't let her go back. He'll kill her."

Sesshoumaru nodded, turning to enter the room. Kagome was seated by the bed, clutching her friend's hand as she openly wept.

"Miroku said she has a broken leg, as well as a broken wrist and some bruising on her ribs," Kagome said softly when Sesshoumaru came to stand beside her. "They had to give her a sedative so she could get some sleep."

"She is safe now. Just remember that." He placed his hand on her shoulder and was only a little surprised when she placed her hand on top of his own. "This Sesshoumaru will protect her."

"Thank you," Kagome murmured, turning to smile at him briefly before turning back to her unconscious friend.

Walking back out into the hall, Sesshoumaru motioned for Miroku to follow him. "Miroku, I need to go retrieve the car. Are you armed?"

"Of course," Miroku said, opening his jacket to reveal the retractable Bo staff and various sutras that he always carried with him. "Although, I highly doubt he would try anything here. It's too open. And he strikes me as a more cowardly, wait in the shadows kind of guy."

"Either way, it pays to be prepared." Looking into the room once more, Sesshoumaru sighed. Even though he knew Miroku could protect them, it didn't make it any harder to leave. "I'll return as soon as I can."

"Alright, oh and Inuyasha wants you to call him back as soon as you can."

Sesshoumaru nodded and walked to the elevators, dialing his brother's number as he went. "What is it?" he said as he punched the elevator up button so he could leave directly from the roof.

"I thought you might want to know that Akitoki Hojo senior disowned his son shortly before his death five years ago."

"But Kagome said he used his inheritance to set up here in Atlanta."

"Looks like his father didn't have time to get all the legal work done to refute his son's rights to the money before he was killed."

"So, Hojo found out his father planned to disown him and then did away with him before he could."

"That would be my guess. I'm gonna dig around a little more, but so far, that's what it looks like happened. What is this about Sesshoumaru?"

"I'll explain when you get here." Shutting the phone, Sesshoumaru almost smiled at how much his brother had learned. _He's come a long way from that scrawny mutt who used to follow me around feudal Japan. _As they grew older, it had become clear that although Inuyasha was extremely loud and brash, he had a talent for finding out every little detail about those around him. _Maybe it was a side effect of always trying to figure me out. _

Whatever the reason, he knew that if Hojo had anything to hide, Inuyasha would find it. And then they would be able to choose the best course of action.


	17. Unfathomable Kindness

Care to Make a Bet

**Cosmic-lover: **Well, in his defense, he did have quite a lot on his mind whenever he was at home, so I guess we should forgive him for leaving his phone, although to be completely honest I used it as a lead in to get Miroku and Sango to meet. And at the moment I would say he doesn't really see her as a member of his pack yet, although he probably is beginning to since technically as the alpha female, Kagome has the right to bring members into the pack so he could see Sango as an extension of Kagome's pack and therefore part of his. I haven't really thought about that, but it could be interesting to look into. And I wasn't thinking of the car being left and therefore Sango being beaten up as Sesshoumaru's fault, but I would think given how his mind operates, he might think it was partly his fault since in his mind, he should have considered that outcome. But that's just how I think his mind might work. And Inuyasha isn't a detective, but if you think about it, the first key to survival is to know your enemy. As a hanyou, he would strive to know everything he could about those around him so that he would know how to get what he needed from them. Being a brash, headstrong idiot could only take him so far. I would think he would learn something over the course of 500 years, but that's just me. ^_^ I've always thought that we as fans never give Inuyasha enough credit. And yes…Hojo is just getting eviler by the minute. What can I say, I loathe the guy.

**AznTofu**: As I said above, I've always felt that people don't give Inuyasha enough credit. Think about how long he survived without the Tessaiga. He had to learn how to survive using only the strengths and abilities that he was born with. And, yeah no violence yet. I've gotten kind of bored with battle scenes in fanfiction. Right now I'm more about sneaky "pull the rug out from under you so to speak" attacks. So, I have something up my sleeve for Hojo that will decimate him, but in a way that I hope will be unique and believable.

**Ditto Princess**: Happy New Year to you as well….even if it's a month late. XD And yeah, see above about my view on Inuyasha. ^_^

**randomfan17**: The only problem with this plan is even if I were a zombie…I don't think I would want to touch Hojo with a ten foot pole.

**buzzk97**: I see you think like I do (or at least regarding this particular view)….there are worse fates than death. And Kagome's mom will probably not be making an appearance, but that's because I don't really get along with my own mother right now and so I don't really want to write about mothers. XD

Chapter 17: Unfathomable Kindness

"Where's Sesshoumaru," Kagome said as she rubbed her eyes. She hadn't realized she'd fallen asleep until Miroku placed a blanket around her shoulders.

"He went to go get the car back from the apartment. But don't worry, you're safe with me."

Kagome nodded and leaned back in her chair. "How long was I out?"

"Not too long, Sesshoumaru just left a few minutes ago. When I came back into the room, you were asleep."

"What are you watching?" Kagome said as she noticed the flickering light of the television.

"Huh? Oh, Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

"Never heard of it."

"It's good. Sarah Michelle Gellar kicks demon ass and looks hot doing it. Plus it's insanely funny."

"Ok,"

Looking over to check on Sango once more, Kagome grabbed her uninjured hand and held it before turning to watch the TV. She had to admit the show was entertaining. The situations the characters constantly found themselves in were so ridiculous, she couldn't help but wait for more to see where they would find themselves next. And although the show placed a heavy influence on fighting, there was always something funny going on to diffuse the feeling of violence. She found herself laughing as one of the characters opened a spell book and screamed when she unknowingly conjured a bunny.

By the time Sesshoumaru had returned, Sango had woken up.

"Kagome?"

"Hey," Kagome said softly, brushing her friend's hair from her face. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a Mac truck in the middle of I-75 during rush hour on a Friday afternoon."

Well, at least you can joke. That's something right?" She smiled and Sango tried to smile back, but she didn't quite make it.

"So, what do we do now?"

"Sesshoumaru is talking to the doctor, but I'm pretty sure you just have to stay here until the sedative wears off."

"I meant what am I going to do about Hojo? Once he finds out I left, he is going to freak."

"I can answer that," Miroku said from his seat near the door. "You're not going back." Sango made to reply, but he held up his hand to stop her. "I cannot knowingly let you walk back to a man who will kill you. And Sesshoumaru agrees with me."

"As nice as that sounds," Sango said, groaning as a particularly deep breath caused her ribs to throb. "I have a debt to pay."

"Not anymore you don't."

Sango looked towards Sesshoumaru with eyes filled with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I paid it while I was out."

"What?"

"The receptionist was even gracious enough to give me a receipt."

"But why would you do this for me?"

"For the same reason Miroku will not let you go back. He will kill you."

"That was very kind of you, but I can't take your money."

"Miroku, weren't you saying earlier that you needed an extra hand around the stables?" Sesshoumaru looked over at the monk turned stable hand and knowingly raised an eyebrow.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! Work's been piling up for weeks."

"That settles it then. You can work in my stables to pay it off if you like."

Sango was speechless. She couldn't believe how kind this man—this youkai—was being to her. It defied all her logic. Other than Kagome, no one had been this nice to her in her entire life. She tried to think of some way to reply, but before she could, Sesshoumaru's cell phone rang and he walked back out into the hall.

"I think I'll go find a vending machine." Miroku said, getting up and walking to the door. "You girls want anything?"

"Coke please," Kagome said and Sango nodded to agree.

"Two cokes comin' up," he said, smiling warmly before disappearing into the hall.

"I can't believe this is happening," Sango mumbled as she sunk back into the pillows. "How can a youkai, let alone a taiyoukai I was always taught hated humans, be so nice?"

"I've yet to figure that out myself. Half the time I wonder if he really is the taiyoukai my grandmother told me about as a child, but there is no mistaking those markings on his face."

"Nor his hair. That's the dead giveaway for me."

"No," Kagome said, turning to look at Sesshoumaru who was standing just outside the door. "I've seen other youkai with silver hair, but his markings are unique. Just the symbol of the House of the Moon is proof enough that he is the lord I was told about so many years ago. Even if I didn't know about his other markings, that one by itself tells me everything I need to know. Or so I thought when I met him. But now…"

"What do you think I should do? You've been living with him for a while now, can I trust him?"

"I think so. And even if you can't, are you willing to go back to Hojo?"

"Definitely not. I'd marry Cameron before I did that."

"Haha, still with the jokes. Keep this up and you'll be good as new in no time."

~Shift~

Kagome sighed as she watched the wheat sway in the late night breeze. She knew she should go inside, but at the moment she couldn't bring herself to get up. When they'd gotten home a little over an hour ago, she'd shown Sango up to the guest room to help get her settled. But she'd barely gotten Sango inside the room before she'd begun to sob ferociously. It had taken her almost forty-five minutes to calm her down and when she'd finally gotten her to fall asleep, Kagome was close to tears herself. Suddenly overcome with a need for fresh air, she'd retreated here to the porch to think.

As happy as she was that Sango was finally safe, she couldn't help but wonder what they would do next. Sesshoumaru couldn't pay off the debt of every girl at Hojo's. But she couldn't figure out any other way they could free them that wouldn't place the girl's under a lot of suspicion. And even if they did free them, there was nowhere for them to go except back onto the streets. Most of them had been working at Hojo's for years, some of them had never even held any other job, having been forced into this line of work right out of high school. If they weren't extremely careful, then the identities of the girls would get out and then there would be no way for them to ever get another job. What business is going to hire a bunch of prostitutes?

It seemed any route they took, it would be the girls who suffered for it.

"You should be sleeping."

Kagome spun around to look at her mate. She'd been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hadn't even noticed him. "I needed some fresh air," she said, surprised when he nodded and sat down beside her.

"Kagome, I wanted to ask you something," he said softly, unsure of how she would react to his question. "Were you aware that Hojo's father was in the process of disowning Hojo when he was killed?"

"What, how is that possible? Hojo inherited everything."

"It looks as if he didn't get things finalized fast enough."

"Are you saying Hojo had his father killed to prevent losing his inheritance?"

"It looks that way. Tell me, do you remember anything about his father's murder?"

"Not really. I do remember that Hojo was home in our village when it happened. He'd been planning to go visit his father, but then the trip was cancelled at the last minute. I remember because I'd been really excited that he would be gone for a couple of weeks and therefore I would have a break from having to deal with him. But then when the trip was cancelled, Hojo hadn't even seemed to care. Then a few days later we found out his father was dead and Hojo packed up everything and left."

"And he moved here?"

"Yeah,"

She groaned, leaning against Sesshoumaru as her fatigue finally caught up with her. Looking at her way, she was surprised to find it was after three. "Gosh, I didn't *yawn* realize it was so late."

"Come," Sesshoumaru said, standing up slowly and reaching down to help her up. "You should get some rest."

Kagome could only nod as he picked her up and carried her inside and up to their room.


	18. Allow me to Introduce

Care to Make a Bet

**Cosmic-lover: **I thought it was high time to have some Kagome/Miroku bonding and Buffy seemed like a plausible show for Miroku to watch (it's what I was watching when I wrote the chapter XD). And you guessed it. That's exactly why Sesshoumaru gave her that particular job. I'm debating on if I should reveal that Sesshoumaru did it because he wanted to push them together or if he just made something up. What do you think? And actually the original chapter was longer, but to make the timeline fit, I had to move one of the scenes to this chapter. But I'll try to give you more to read in the future. ^_^ PS, if you liked that fluff, you should like the fluff in this chapter as well. ^_^

**ThePandaHat: **I don't really know…but don't get your hopes up. I write to escape from fights with my mother…so I don't particularly like writing about them.

**AznTofu: **You're welcome. ^_^ I always try to respond whenever people send me good reviews. I get so many that just say "Great chapter. Update soon!" that when I get one that actually has thought put into it, I just have to respond. XD And you won't have to wait too much longer for Inuyasha to make an appearance, I promise.

Chapter 18: Allow me to Introduce…..

"Did I miss anything?" Kagome said as she walked into Sango's room.

"They found Seth wandering around in the woods a few miles from the cabins, but they haven't arrested anyone yet."

"Hmmm…I wonder what Seth was doing way out there." She climbed back into the bed, smiling when Sango leaned against her. In the two weeks since they'd rescued her, Sango had made a remarkable recovery. Her anguish diminished more with each passing day to the point that at times, she almost seemed to be back to her old self.

With a broken leg, her mobility was extremely limited, but Kagome had almost decided that for that first week or so, it was almost a blessing in disguise. With such limited mobility, Sango was forced to take a much needed break. The first few days had been difficult. With nothing to distract her from her thoughts, Sango's mind had forced her to relive every atrocious act that Hojo had forced her to commit. But then as the days passed, Kagome had watched as a sense of realization had come over Sango. She'd recognized the reaction immediately, since she had experienced that same realization herself—although at a much slower pace. It was the realization that she was safe. You could see it in the way she moved. Her body was slowly letting down its guard and allowing her to heal.

Now, Sango was well on the way to recovery. When the doctor had come by the day before to check on her injuries, he'd told them that everything was progressing perfectly, which had been a relief for Kagome who had been worried Sango might have permanent damage. They'd also asked him if it would be alright if they took Sango out to the stables during the day so that she could get used to being in them. Miroku had suggested the exposure to the horses might do more good than just fresh air alone and Sesshoumaru had agreed, as had the doctor. Tomorrow Kagome and Sesshoumaru were going to find another wheelchair for Sango. The hospital had given them one to let her use during her recovery, but she didn't like sitting in it. So, Kagome offered to go try some out to find a more comfortable one for her to use since she and Sango were relatively similar in build. A knock on the door startled both women and they looked up to see Sesshoumaru walk in carrying their lunch.

"What do we have today?" Kagome said as she helped Sango scoot up on the bed so she could better reach her food. Sesshoumaru set their plates down for a moment to pick up the fold up breakfast trays beside the window, bringing them over to the bed before walking back over to retrieve their food. "Waffles?" Kagome chuckled as he placed her plate down on the tray.

"I thought it was a good day for them. What are you two watching?"

"Murder, She Wrote," Kagome said, reaching over to cut up Sango's waffle and smiling when she discovered Sesshoumaru had already done it. "Would you like to join us?"

"I might just do that." He walked around and sat down beside Kagome, taking a bite of her waffle when she offered it. "What's this about?"

"It's a mystery show," Sango said as she poured her coke into the glass by the bed. "This one is about a ten year old unsolved murder that a retired cop is determined to find one of the main characters guilty of."

"Sounds interesting," he said, placing his arm around Kagome when she leaned into him. "Let's see if my years of training can assist the two of you in figuring out who the real killer is."

~Shift~

"Kami, I hate airplanes," Inuyasha grumbled as he walked to his gate. Judging by the throngs of people seated there, it looked like every single seat on the plane would be full. Slowing his pace, he seriously debated on crossing the country on foot so he wouldn't have to deal with this again. It was bad enough he'd already been forced to sit on an over packed airplane—in coach no less—for fourteen hours and then that hellish ordeal in customs. He absolutely dreaded having to get onto yet another crowded airplane where he would be forced to clamp his ears to his skull to prevent himself from receiving permanent damage to his hearing. He normally rode in first class whenever he was forced to get onto an airplane in order to lessen the amount of sounds he would be surrounded by, but this was the only flight available on short notice and given the situation, he hadn't had a choice.

And so, now he was faced with the prospect of yet another three hours spent meditating so that he wouldn't lose control and throttle something. His only respite was that he'd been able to stop by the shrine while he was in Tokyo and had gotten the miko currently running it—Kaede—to fix the concealment spell for his necklace. He didn't even want to think about what he would have done had he also been forced to wear a hat to hide his ears from the humans on the plane. He made a mental note to thank Kaede whenever he was finally able to actually go home. Although, given Sesshoumaru's newest fascination, he was beginning to doubt the taiyoukai would ever return to Japan.

He may not care to rule his territory in the same way that Sesshoumaru did, but he stilled preferred his home in Tokyo to his brother's mansion. There was too much to do in Osaka, too many responsibilities. He never had any free time anymore. Even when he went back to Tokyo, he'd been too busy to do anything other than spy on his intended target. Kaede had warned him about overworking himself and at the time, he'd brushed her comment off and told her that hanyou didn't need rest. But he had to admit; it would be nice to just relax and not have to run every which way all day.

Sighing, he collapsed into a chair to wait for his signal to board. "This girl better be worth all of this."

~Shift~

"Hello? Well it's about damn time. What time did your flight get in?"

Kagome frowned, tilting her head to the side as she entered the kitchen and heard him on the phone, curiosity piqued as to who he could be talking to. _Is someone coming to visit him? _He hadn't told her anyone was coming. Of course, she realized that he might possibly be talking to someone who had just arrived at their destination. It didn't necessarily have to be someone coming to see them. It could just be a friend of his who was traveling. But something told her that wasn't the case.

"Who was that?" She asked once he hung up, unable to control her curiosity any longer.

"That was Inuyasha. I need to go to the airport. Would you like to go with me?

"Uh, yeah sure. But what about Sango? We can't leave her alone. She might need something."

"I'll call Miroku. He can come sit with her. I'm sure he won't mind."

Rolling her eyes, Kagome thought about the possibilities. On one hand, she was really curious about Sesshoumaru's brother, but on the other…did she really want to leave her best friend with Miroku? She'd spent enough time with him to know that man was the most lecherous man on the planet. And a lecher was definitely something Sango did not need at the moment. But then again, she'd seen the way he'd looked over her last night. He was genuinely concerned for her injured friend. Maybe this would do Sango some good. The only men she had had contact with in years were the jerks that came into the club, spending some time with a decent guy might do her some good. And even though Miroku was always hornier than an entire family of bunnies…he was definitely a decent guy. Deciding to give it a shot, she nodded her head. "Alright, just let me get my coat."

The whole way into the city, Kagome's mind was filled with thoughts of what Sesshoumaru's brother might be like and what he could possibly be here for. He'd said that Inuyasha was here a few months ago and from what he'd told her, the hanyou hated to travel. Of course, if she thought about it, she would probably hate traveling too if she had a super sensitive sense of smell and hearing.

The Atlanta airport was packed with people. They made their way to the luggage carousels, since that was where Inuyasha had said he would meet them. Kagome kept her eyes peeled for any sign of the silvery hair she'd grown up wondering about. The stories her grandmother had told of the great Inuyasha ran through her mind and she found herself becoming more and more excited about meeting such a great man. Of course, she was also curious to see how he compared to his brother. From what she'd been taught, the two sons of the great Inu no Taisho were as different as night and day and she was curious to see if that was how it really was or if the legends had gotten it wrong. She was surprised when a dark haired man with short choppy hair began walking towards him.

"Hey bro!" the man said, holding up his arm as if to give Sesshoumaru a high five and then laughing when Sesshoumaru just stared at him.


	19. Chapter 19

Care to Make a Bet

Chapter 19 Insert Title Here

Kagome stood baffled by the man talking to Sesshoumaru. _This is Inuyasha?_ The man was slightly shorter than Sesshoumaru and his personality was definitely different…but where was the long silver hair? The dog ears? This man looked human. Jerking her attention back to them at the mention of Hojo, she had to resist the urge to drop her jaw.

"You sent him to research Hojo?"

Sesshoumaru turned and smiled at her. "I did. Does that surprise you?"

"You always surprise me."

She saw a flash of amusement flash in his eyes for a moment before his mask fell back into place. Then he turned back to Inuyasha. "Well, shall we go? I'm eager to get back to the house, as I am sure Kagome is as well since we left her friend in Miroku's care. That is, unless you would rather stay here tonight."

Picking up his bag, Inuyasha smirked. "If you don't get me out of here in five minutes, this building might get a bit 'scarred'."

Sesshoumaru scoffed, knowing full well that Tessaiga was safely ensconced with Kaede in Tokyo. "Very well, let's go."

When they got back to the car, Kagome could wait no longer. "Inuyasha, do you mind if I ask…why do you look human?"

"Huh? Oh, I use a concealment spell just like Sesshoumaru does."

"But, Sesshoumaru looks like a youkai to me."

"You see me as I am because you are a miko. Everyone else sees a man whose hair grayed prematurely. My marking are hidden by a simple spell. As are my claws and fangs."

So, why can't I see through Inuyasha's?"

"Because mine was made by a miko. And she used something special to keep anyone else from seeing my hanyou traits."

"Oh,"

"Yeah, I've always been lousy at concealment spells. So, Kaede offered to make me one a few years ago. I was afraid I would have to come here without one when Sesshoumaru called me because the spell wore out a couple of weeks ago, but fortunately Kaede offered to recast it when I was in Tokyo."

"Wait, those type of spells last for generations, why did it need to be recast so soon if you just had it made a few years ago?"

"Because, my brother is speaking of time in youkai terms, not human. Kaede created those beads over half a century ago."

"Oh, wow! How old is she?"

"She's almost eighty now. She cast the spell when she was twenty, just after she became a full miko."

"That's cool. Do you mind if I see your beads?"

"Nah, here they are," he said, reaching into his shirt and pulling out a purple bead necklace with fangs placed every so often.

Chuckling softly, Kagome pointed at the beads. "Aren't those subjugation beads?"

"Haha, yeah good eye. Fortunately, Kaede's never been known for her viciousness. These are strictly for concealment only. I'll show you how I really look when we get back to the house."

"I'd like that."

When they made it back to the house, Kagome went straight up to Sango's room to check on her. 'Hey, we're back!" She said as she reached the door and turned the knob. "Did you mis…" As she walked in, Sango pressed a finger to her lips in the shushing pose and Kagome smiled. Miroku was leaning against the bed, sound asleep while Sango sat reading a book. "Sorry," she whispered. "I just wanted to let you know we were home. I'll be downstairs if you need me."

Sango nodded and Kagome walked back downstairs to the kitchen, eager to see Inuyasha without his concealment spell. But instead, she found Sesshoumaru seated at the table, looking over some papers.

"Everything alright I hope?" He asked without looking up.

"Yup," Kagome said, nodding slightly even though he wasn't looking at her. " Although, you must have really put Miroku through the ringer today, he's sound asleep in her bed."

He arched his eyebrow, clearly confuse and Kagome giggled. "Not like that, he's on the floor leaned against the edge of her bed."

"Ah,"

He motioned to the seat beside him and Kagome went to join him at the table. She was surprised to find that what she had thought were random papers actually looked a lot like a police report. "What are these?

"This is all the information Inuyasha was able to gather on Hojo from his sources in Tokyo. I'm trying to figure out how we can best use it to our advantage."

"I still can't believe you did this. I mean, I know you were going to help, but asking Inuyasha to track down information about Hojo and then bringing him here?"

"To defeat one's enemies, one must know them completely. The more information we have on Hojo, the easier it will be to bring him down."

"You sound like you're planning a battle."

"In essence, I am. After all, my brother and I were warriors for centuries, still are in fact. Battle is something we were bred for. Even if we don't enter a physical confrontation with Hojo, we still need to know his strengths and weaknesses."

"Makes sense," she said, looking over the papers in front of them. She was amazed by how much information Inuyasha had been able to gather in such a short time. It seemed he hadn't left a single stone uncovered. The range of his findings spanned from Hojo's family history, to his medical records, even his favorite foods. "I thought you said Inuyasha was a wanderer. You sure he's not a cop or something?"

"No," Sesshoumaru chuckled. "He's not a cop. As a child, my brother was constantly hunted by larger youkai wanting to have a little fun tormenting a hanyou. Thus, in order to survive, Inuyasha developed the uncanny ability to disappear. He can virtually drop off the map, remaining invisible as long as it takes to find a way to defeat his opponent."

"All except one."

Kagome turned to see Inuyasha enter the kitchen. He sat down across from them, removing the beads from around his neck before reaching for an apple from the bowl on the table. Kagome watched, shocked, as his appearance changed. It was almost as if his humanity melted off of him. The inky black hair was slowly replaced by pale, almost silver strands—although to her dismay it remained short. His ears faded away to be replaced by two white, fur-covered dog ears on the crown of his head. His eyes also faded to a beautiful shade of amber, which Kagome noticed was slightly darker than that of his brother's. The last to change were his hands, the tips of his fingernails elongated and tapered to reveal claws that were only slightly shorter than Sesshoumaru's and no doubt just as sharp.

"Wow," she said when the transformation was complete. "That is so cool!" Inuyasha grinned, allowing her to examine the beads when she asked. Kagome was surprised by the power emanating from the beads, suddenly wishing she could meet this miko who held such power even at an old age. Remembering what he'd said when he came in, she asked. "So, who was the opponent you couldn't beat?"

"He's sitting to your left."

"Oh," Kagome said softly, remembering what her grandmother had told her about the feud between the Taisho brothers. "Why were you trying to beat him anyways? All the stories said were that you two hated each other. They never gave a reason beyond that."

"He had something I wanted." Sesshoumaru said softly, sipping his tea as if they were merely discussing the weather.

"Tessaiga," Kagome murmured.

"That's right. Tessaiga was entrusted to Inuyasha while Tenseiga was left to me."

"Sesshoumaru didn't think I was worthy to wield Tessaiga. He felt he should have it. Obviously I didn't."

"It was a lucky shot. You are fortunate this Sesshoumaru realized you required the fang to keep your sanity. Otherwise our following encounters would have rendered you weaponless."

"Lucky shot my ass! I hacked off your arm!"

"Yes, and I thought it would never re-grow. That was by far my longest century."

"So, it's true. Youkai really do regenerate?"

"Yes. It took almost an entire century, but eventually it did grow back."

"That's really interesting. Did your hand like spout out and then the arm lengthened? Or did it regenerate in order?"

Sesshoumaru chuckled. "My hand was the last to regenerate."

"Wow." Kagome looked over at his arm, suddenly wishing to inspect the area for scars or imperfections. She hadn't noticed any during their first encounter…but then again she hadn't really been focusing on his arm at that particular time. Her thoughts were interrupted by the violent growling of her stomach and she chuckled. "Oops, guess I'm a little hungry. What time is it?"

"Almost seven," Sesshoumaru replied after glancing at his watch. "I suppose we should cook dinner."

"Ung…I don't feel like cooking." Kagome grumbled. "Can't we just order take out or something?"

"I suppose, but we still have to decide what we want."

Ten minutes later, Miroku was on his way to pick up their phõ from the local Vietnamese restaurant and Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru settled down to talk strategy.

"First of all, we must figure out how to get the girls out of the club without Hojo knowing about it."

"And they'll need a new means to support themselves. We can't just throw them to the wolves. They'll need jobs."

Sesshoumaru nodded. "We should probably think of sending them to other cities for their own safety."

"Makes sense. Do you have enough contacts for that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we could…"

Getting up quietly, Kagome slipped out of the room to let them plan, making her way upstairs to check on Sango again. She found her friend surfing the web on Kagome's computer. "Whatcha doing?" She said, sitting on the bed beside her.

"I'm looking up recipes for things I saw on the Food Network and Cooking Channel. I was thinking of writing a blog on cooking when my leg heals. Or, with your help, we could start working on it now."

"That sounds like fun! But I'm not so good at cooking."

"That's ok, I can teach you. It will give another dimension to the blog. Plus, it will give us something to do while the boys are plotting their attacks."

"Haha, alright. I'm in! What should we cook?"

"Well, I've been gathering some recipes, like this one for a peach and almond coke. And I also found one for salmon wrapped in puff pastry and one for a version of onion rings that uses leeks instead of onions."

"Interesting. Well, if you give me the ingredients list, I'll get Sesshoumaru to take me to get everything from the store."

"Alright."

A.N. Ok, I know this is yet ANOTHER crappy ending. But I have hit another bout of writer's block and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere. So, after a few days of attempting to scrounge up a better stopping place with no results, I thought I'd give y'all the next chapter, bad ending or no.


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